Our Supra Took 8 Months to Build and 1 Day to Win An Award.
Every project car has its highs and lows, moments of silence and sparks of chaos. But few journeys feel as rewarding, and frankly, as surreal, as the one we experienced with our Supra.
Eight months ago, this was nothing more than an idea and a car patiently waiting for its second life. From day one, we had a clear vision: to restore and elevate it to the best of our abilities, respecting everything we have learned about kaido racers these last few years, while making it unmistakably our own.
A massive part of that transformation came from our good friend Mitsuaki-san, a master painter whose reputation in the local kaido racer community speaks for itself. His ability as a painter is nothing short of art in motion, and for this build, he went all in. We chose Ferrari Rossa Corsa, a colour that carries weight, history, and pure energy.
Reassembly took place at Reid’s shop, and for the most part, everything came together smoothly. Panel by panel, bolt by bolt, the Supra started to feel whole again. But as with all good builds, the final day had its share of drama. What was supposed to be a calm final push turned into a race against the clock. Delays piled up, tensions ran high, and it wasn’t until the evening that we finally loaded the Supra onto the trailer.
We crossed the border under the cover of night, tired but buzzing with adrenaline. Waiting for us once we arrived in Tacoma, Washington, was our friend Colton (@soulfulmotoring), who had already scouted a location for the reveal. At 3:00 AM, in a quiet pocket of urban sprawl, we rolled the Supra off the trailer for its first real moment in the spotlight.
No crowds, not much noise. Just us, some civil infrastructure, and the car that consumed our lives these last few months. Under streetlights and camera flashes, the red paint came alive. It was the first time we truly saw the car and all the hard work behind it. That moment was everything.
The next morning, we headed to Old School Reunion, an awesome and curated car show hosted at the LeMay Collections at Marymount. The event draws some of the finest vintage Japanese and European metal in the region, and we were excited to be a part of it. To share the Supra with the community was reward enough.
But then came the unexpected.
Nearing the end of the day, we were given the award for "Best Restoration."
We were stunned.
To receive that kind of recognition on the car’s very first outing was beyond anything we imagined.
It wasn’t just about the trophy; it was a nod to every long night, every setback, every piece of this journey.
Eight months of work. One day to prove it was all worth it.
And in the end, that’s what this build was always about: passion, persistence, and the people who made it possible.
