The minute I landed in Seattle, I knew something weird was going to happen. It always happens to me. All I had to do was cover the latest installment of the Hot Import Nights series. Easy, right? Yes, but not all the time. The weather report on the Internet said it was going to be overcast; it rained the entire time I was there. In Los Angeles, import car shows seem to make people want to stay home because there are too many of them; in Seattle, the traffic getting to the show was so bad there was a backup going farther than my eyes could see. When you have to park 15 minutes away (that's walking distance and in the rain, mind you!) because the parking lots around the exhibition center are too full, then you know you've done something right. When people are still paying full pop at 11 p.m. for a show that ends at 11:30 p.m., you know they've either got nothing better to do or they're down for the hottest show in town. Hot Import Nights seemed to do everything, and everyone, right this night.
This event was held right across the way from Safeco Field (go Ichiro!), and the lines went well out into the rain-but the crowds didn't care. I would say that I didn't care either, but I did because I got soaked. (And when my hair gets messed up, there's hell to pay!) Once I got inside and dried off, it was time to wander around-but I couldn't. It was just as crowded as a massive rave; house music was playing, cars were displayin', and the ladies were in full effect.
I couldn't keep my eyes off the cars; a yellow FD RX-7 at the Valvoline booth was my pick of the show. It sported RE Amemiya wheels, custom bodywork, and an engine bay clean enough to make me say, "Damn, that's tizzight!" Further investigation led me to a white 240SX sitting in the back corner, all by its lonesome. This S13 not only had an SR20DET conversion, but the front end had been changed to accommodate the S13 Silvia front end from Japan. I walked around it probably a dozen times, then went to the corner for some quiet time all by myself.
For the ultimate in customization, there were a few old-school Civic CVCCs in attendance. One had been fully customized to accept an interior from an EF Civic Si; it also featured a custom turbo kit and a matching rear trailer in the form of a rear half of another CVCC! A different CVCC wagon had its stock engine swapped out for an '86-'89 twin-cam Integra LS engine, and it sported wheels off a 2000 Civic Si. They may not have been the prettiest cars of the night, but the genius behind these creations was incredible.
The show itself seemed to be dominated mainly by two crews: HDS Racing (which also has chapters in SoCal and Hawaii) and Garage SPL. HDS came with a handful of modified Hondas, both show and race, while Garage SPL went full charge with a team of Skylines, a couple of Supras and NSXs, and even an RHD Prelude from Japan. If anyone sets the standards in the Northwest, these guys do. (That's all fine and dandy, but where was Sharon Sotto?-RC) The show ended quite early, but that's OK with me-I had to walk back to the car in the rain again. Next time I'm bringing an umbrella.
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