A true JDM

Being in the local car scene for so long , I can now easily distinguish a boy racer from a true enthusiast. I’ve seen countless cars ruined by a car culture that they don’t seem to understand. They claim it’s a Japanese influence called “JDM”.  I’m talking about “Stance” and the whole “Hellaflush” thing.  How did we do it right for so many years only to have it so confused as time goes on? I suppose lines are being blurred and soon absolutely everything out there influenced by the “Land of the Rising Sun” will be called “JDM.”

For those who don’t know what I mean,  JDM is an acronym that stands for Japanese Domestic Market.  The term is used by companies in Japan to refer to the local market for domestic automobiles, as opposed to international, non-Japanese market.  Within the automotive hobbyist scene, this term most commonly refers to Japanese brand automobiles and parts designed and constructed to enhance its Japanese look and performance. This came about as all car imports from Japan didn’t really have the same specs and options that the Japanese Domestic Markets had.

Well literately it just  means “cars that are from Japan, and sold in Japan”... This is where things get confusing because in the worldwide car scene, JDM is a culture and it is described as something slightly different from what it originally stands for. Let me expound....

JDM is not what you saw in the movie Fast and the Furious Tokyo Drift. Ironically, the styling in that movie was influence by “Hollywood”.   JDM is not about all that. It is not a flamboyant mix of body kits, large chrome rims, neon lights and ultra lowered cambered wheels . Instead, JDM styling is subtle and sophisticated. Its emphasis are on keeping the car period correct, be it with modifications or without.  Modifications should be largely based on the original styling of the car.

The “yin yang” of JDM is based on form and function. The idea is if the total appearance of the car is enhanced  to look fast, then the engine should be tweaked as well to perform better. JDM enthusiast usually just do “engine swaps” or  changing to the Japanese Spec engines which are more powerful . But  installing what we call “Mods” or modifications is a matching game. Proper combinations are essential in attaining an authentic Japanese standout.

Cleanliness is also a big factor. Installation of “mods” should be given the highest attention. This is the key to the styling of JDM cars.  Majority of the these enthusiast  have spick and span  engine bays and pristine interiors to match the flawless body paint.

The styling has gone a long way from its origin. In the early 90s, we would scramble to get parts from the Japanese surplus yard to convert our cars to JDM. Those days, it was hard to attain.  Yet it was pure, it was the real JDM. Nowadays, it’s easy. Parts are readily available in car shops and in the net.

However way you do your style of JDM, just make sure it all matches correctly . Teardrop stickers and battered stuff toys hanging on exhaust pipes don’t make your car JDM.  It’s something much more meaningful than that.