A lively discussion unfolds as Bobby and Aaron share their experiences from a recent trip to Orlando, including a visit to a bustling Cars & Coffee event and a tour of HD Werks. They dive into the vibrant Florida car scene, highlighting the diverse array of vehicles and the strong community spirit. The duo also reflects on their own GTR projects, with Bobby eagerly awaiting the arrival of his R34. Insights into the challenges faced by small automotive shops like HD Werks are shared, emphasizing the passion and dedication of the owners.
In this episode of the Right Hand Drive Guys Podcast, we break down a packed trip to Florida that hit every level of the JDM bucket list. From pulling up to Orlando Cars & Coffee to getting an unforgettable ride in a U.P. Garage–built R34 GT-R, this trip delivered nonstop highlights.
We also take you inside HD Werks for a full shop tour, talking builds, craftsmanship, and what it’s like to see top-tier Skylines being worked on up close. Between the cars, the people, and the behind-the-scenes access, this episode is all about experiencing JDM culture beyond just photos and social media.
🎙️ Florida heat, legendary shops, and an R34 ride you don’t forget — tune in for the full trip recap.
"...like you're getting a 34 GTR like I think we're fine... First of all 34 is landed in California..."
The Nissan Skyline GT-R (R34) is a famous sports car that many car enthusiasts admire. It's known for being fast and having great technology, making it popular in racing.
The Nissan Skyline GT-R (R34) is a high-performance sports car known for its advanced technology and racing pedigree. It features a turbocharged inline-six engine and is celebrated for its handling and performance in motorsport.
"I got a least spec Turt like turbo back exhaust for the 34 and then I got the recirculation pipes for the 33 and the 34..."
The Nissan GT-R R34 is a famous sports car that is loved for its speed and technology. It's a car that many people admire and want to own.
The Nissan GT-R R34 is a high-performance sports car known for its advanced technology and powerful turbocharged engine. It gained a cult following, especially among car enthusiasts and in popular culture.
"I got a least spec Turt like turbo back exhaust for the 34 and then I got the recirculation pipes for the 33 and the 34..."
A turbo back exhaust is a special pipe system that helps the car's engine breathe better and sound louder. It can make the car go faster.
A turbo back exhaust is a performance exhaust system that replaces the entire exhaust system from the turbocharger back. It helps improve engine efficiency and sound.
A catch can is a container that collects oil and dirt from the engine. It helps keep the engine clean and running well.
A catch can is a device used in vehicles to collect oil and other contaminants from the crankcase ventilation system. It helps prevent these substances from entering the intake manifold.
"I like was like, okay late because you know when it comes to titanium exhaust..."
A titanium exhaust is a type of exhaust system made from a strong and light metal called titanium. It helps the car run better and is lighter than regular exhausts.
A titanium exhaust is a lightweight and high-performance exhaust system made from titanium. It offers benefits such as reduced weight and improved exhaust flow, which can enhance engine performance.
"And plus with the with the downpipe. I think he makes one of the only ones..."
A downpipe is a part of the exhaust system that helps get exhaust gases out of the engine. It helps the car run better, especially if it has a turbo.
A downpipe is a component of the exhaust system that connects the turbocharger to the rest of the exhaust. It plays a crucial role in improving exhaust flow and reducing back pressure, which can enhance turbo performance.
"but like I'm thinking future and I will probably put 25 30s on it like I have on my 33 which are I think the biggest factory location turbo you can get..."
Factory location turbos are turbochargers that fit in the same spot as the original ones in the car. This makes it easier to install them without changing a lot of parts.
Factory location turbos are turbochargers that are designed to fit in the original mounting positions of the vehicle, allowing for easier installation without major modifications to the engine bay.
"Got from Dylan that Nismo parts plug. I got the Muse wing stands because I currently have the superior wing stands..."
Nismo is a brand that makes special parts for Nissan cars to make them faster and look better. If you see Nismo parts, they are usually designed for racing or performance driving.
Nismo is the performance division of Nissan, specializing in motorsports and high-performance parts for Nissan vehicles. They offer a range of aftermarket parts that enhance the performance and aesthetics of Nissan cars.
"I also got from Dylan that Nismo parts plug. I got the Muse wing stands because I currently have the superior wing stands..."
Wing stands are the parts that hold up the big wing on the back of a car. They help keep the wing in place and can change how the car looks and performs.
Wing stands are components used to support and position a rear wing on a car, particularly in racing applications. They can affect the aerodynamics and appearance of the vehicle, and different designs can yield different performance characteristics.
"...they have an angled backwards so it makes it it just makes it angled the wing angled backwards..."
Aerodynamics is how air flows around a car. If a car is designed well, it can move through the air easier, which helps it go faster and use less fuel.
Aerodynamics refers to how air moves around objects, particularly vehicles. In automotive contexts, good aerodynamics can improve a car's performance, fuel efficiency, and stability at high speeds.
"GK tech only does like one sell a year and it's on black Friday. So I just got a couple a couple of knickknacks from them just to make the car nicer and..."
GK Tech makes parts to improve cars, especially for racing and drifting. They sell things like shifters and other accessories to make cars perform better.
GK Tech is an aftermarket company that specializes in performance parts and accessories for various car models, particularly those used in drifting and motorsports.
"Well, I got a new shifter because like the shifter I have is noisy and I hate it. Oh, and they have like a pretty decent factory style short shifter..."
A short shifter makes it easier and faster to change gears in a car. It helps drivers shift more quickly, which is great for performance driving.
A short shifter is an aftermarket modification that reduces the distance the gear lever needs to be moved to change gears, allowing for quicker shifts and a sportier driving experience.
"They also have like the boots like the the lower boots that you can't see..."
Shifter boots are the covers around the gear shifter in a car. They help keep dirt out and make the inside of the car look nicer.
Shifter boots are rubber or leather coverings that protect the shifter mechanism from dirt and debris while also providing a finished look to the interior of the car.
"...you want to come to cars and coffee? You got time to do that...the whole parking lot was just filled with...typical cars and coffee. I mean they have everything right..."
Cars and Coffee is a casual meet-up where people bring their cars to show off and talk about them. It's a fun way for car lovers to connect and see different types of vehicles.
Cars and Coffee is a popular informal gathering for car enthusiasts to meet, showcase their vehicles, and socialize. These events typically feature a wide variety of cars, from classic to modern, and attract a diverse crowd of automotive fans.
"...not all jdm cars...they have everything right like zotics, which i'm sure crazy down there..."
JDM means cars that are made for Japan. These cars are popular with fans around the world because they often have special features that you can't find in cars made for other countries.
JDM stands for Japanese Domestic Market, referring to vehicles and parts that are made specifically for the Japanese market. These cars are often highly sought after by enthusiasts outside Japan for their unique features and performance.
"...imports muscle like all of it, right? Yeah, so I guess this full sale one is kind of..."
Muscle cars are fast cars, usually from America, that have big engines. They are known for being powerful and fun to drive, especially on highways.
Muscle cars are high-performance vehicles, typically American, known for their powerful engines and aggressive styling. They gained popularity in the 1960s and 1970s and are celebrated for their speed and performance on the road.
"...imports muscle like all of it, right? Yeah, so I guess this full sale one is kind of..."
Imports are cars that come from other countries. For example, a car made in Japan and sold in the U.S. is considered an import.
Imports refer to vehicles that are brought into a country from another country. In the automotive context, this often means cars that are manufactured outside the domestic market, particularly popular brands from Japan and Europe.
"...me and my buddy have like the skylines in man. I'm like there's there's a few other dudes don't get me wrong..."
The Nissan Skyline is a popular sports car known for its speed and performance. It's especially famous among car enthusiasts for its racing pedigree.
The Nissan Skyline is a series of cars produced by Nissan, known for their performance and popularity in the tuning community, especially the GT-R variants.
"...there was some pretty crazy cars... crazy lambos and McLaren's driving through like the whole deal..."
McLaren is a brand that produces high-end sports cars that are very fast and often used in racing. They are known for their cutting-edge technology.
McLaren is a British manufacturer of high-performance sports cars, known for their advanced technology and success in motorsports, particularly Formula 1.
"...there was some pretty crazy cars... crazy lambos and McLaren's driving through like the whole deal..."
Lamborghini is a brand that makes very fast and expensive sports cars. They are known for their flashy designs and powerful engines.
Lamborghini is a luxury sports car manufacturer known for its high-performance vehicles and distinctive designs, often associated with wealth and status.
"...I feel like probably the most of what I saw was uh civics..."
The Honda Civic is a small car that many people drive because it's reliable and gets good gas mileage. It's also popular for modifications among car fans.
The Honda Civic is a compact car known for its reliability, fuel efficiency, and popularity among a wide range of drivers, including enthusiasts who modify them for performance.
HKS is a company that makes parts to make cars faster and perform better. They are popular among car enthusiasts.
HKS is a well-known aftermarket performance parts manufacturer, specializing in turbochargers, exhaust systems, and engine tuning products for various car models.
"he was in second gear at 5000 rpm and it was there. He was at fifth gear at 2800 rpm and it was there."
RPM means how many times the engine turns around in a minute. Higher numbers mean the engine is working harder and can go faster, but it can also wear out quicker.
RPM stands for revolutions per minute, which measures how fast the engine is spinning. Higher RPMs usually indicate that the engine is working harder and can produce more power, but they can also lead to increased wear and tear.
"Tommy would call it soft because it's not a thousand horsepower. Oh, yeah, of course. It's not an RB30. Yeah, but like dude for like most of us guys like riding around the street enjoying our cars not like being crazy."
The RB30 is a type of engine made by Nissan. It's popular among car enthusiasts for its power and is often used in modified cars.
The RB30 is a 3.0-liter inline-six engine produced by Nissan, known for its performance in various models, particularly in the Nissan Skyline series. It's often modified for higher horsepower outputs in the tuning community.
"Like wrx There might have been a supra, but everything else was a skyline"
The Subaru WRX is a fast car made for racing and driving on different types of roads. It's known for being powerful and having good control, especially in tough weather.
The Subaru WRX is a high-performance version of the Subaru Impreza, known for its rally heritage and all-wheel-drive capabilities. It's popular among car enthusiasts for its turbocharged engine and sporty handling.
"There might have been a supra, but everything else was a skyline"
The Toyota Supra is a famous sports car that many people love for its speed and style. It's often used in racing and has a lot of fans.
The Toyota Supra is a legendary sports car known for its powerful engines and performance capabilities. It has a strong following among car enthusiasts and is often associated with tuning and racing.
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Hey, and welcome back to the next episode of the right-hand drive guys podcast the podcast for guys who like right-hand drives
I'm Bobby. This is Aaron. Yeah, yo, and this is episode
165 and
We are in the garage. We've exhausted all GTR festival
Yeah content. We are now fresh right ready to hit the New Year's strong
And it is almost Christmas dude. It is almost Christmas. It came quick. It came super quick
Yeah, you know, and I just realized I'm feeling bummed
Maybe we can put in the work and get it out the Saturday after Christmas
But this is the first year that we didn't do our Christmas wish list
Dang, but I mean realistically like you're getting a kid. I'm getting a 34 GTR like I think we're fine
Yeah, we're probably good like we probably don't yeah, I was about to ask, you know
If you scored anything cool for any sales, you know for the Christmas season. Did you get it on sale?
I don't know. I
Yeah, I mean
So, okay
First of all 34 is landed in California. It is in the hands of top rank. I am
pushing to hopefully
Have it get on a truck in the next few days now. It's Friday
But I only have two weeks before I leave again to accept the delivery and I'd really like to right
So, yeah, hopefully that'll come here and we'll be talking about it on a try to accept to deliveries this winter
You know dang on the same day imagine. Oh my gosh. I'd be screwed
Yeah, no, so I so the 34 on the way. Did I scoop anything good?
Mainly it wasn't really a black Friday or like whatever deal. It was a GTR festival
Special kind of that I ordered after and he honored the price on that's so yeah, it was cool, but I got a least spec
Turt like turbo back exhaust for the 34 and then I got the recirculation pipes for the 33 and the 34 and
a least spec
Catch can for the 34 nice. So yeah
Yeah, that stuff is definitely high quality. Yeah, I mean once I saw it in person
I like was like, okay late because you know when it comes to titanium exhaust
You have a few options for 34 GTR probably more options than I know about but
Like not many that are hand-built by like yeah this rugged ass Texan dude
And plus with the with the downpipe. I think he makes one of the only ones
It's like a true three and a half. Yeah, that's for the stock location, right?
It's also pretty cool because that's usually a bottleneck there. Yeah, for sure. I thought that was cool
I on stock turbos a three and a half like overkill
But like I'm thinking future and I will probably put 25 30s on it like I have on my 33
Yeah, which are I think the biggest factory location turbo you can get first guy line
So, you know, I'm just thinking ahead instead of buying two exhausts
Like I'll just buy one and and we'll be good. But yeah, that you know, that's about it. I also
Got from Dylan that Nismo parts plug. I got
the Muse wing stands because I currently have the superior wing stands and
Which we'll get into later in the episode, but I got to see the superior wing stands on a 34 white 34 GTR
And I just didn't like it at all. Yeah, I just not I they
Basically instead of coming straight up like factory, but extended they have an angled backwards
So it it makes it it just makes it angled the wing angled backwards
And I just that just wasn't the look that I was going for so they needs anybody needs a set of superior wing stands
That are already in the US hit me up. I'll sell them to you. Yeah, I'll sell them to you
Okay, so this is episode 160. Well, did you get anything on sale? Did I get anything on sale?
Not really I got a few things
GK tech only does like one sell a year and it's on black Friday
So I just got a couple a couple of knickknacks from them just to make the car nicer and
I think that was about knickknacks like a banana hammock. Like what's a knickknack?
What's a knickknack is GK tech selling banana hammocks?
Well, I got a new shifter because like the shifter I have is noisy and I hate it
Oh, and they have like a pretty decent factory style short shifter
They also have like the boots like the the lower boots that you can't see
They have those and they have like the plate that always gets chewed up or
Bent or whatever. So I got those just to make it nice nice and uh
Yeah, I think that was about it. Did you ever get anybody a look at that sedan in georgia for you?
No, I didn't I did not sell
I don't know he he didn't seem very motivated to sell even at
The ridiculous price that he had to post it. That's probably the thing, right?
But it's just like, yeah, I mean whatever if I can figure it out and he still has it then
Yeah, who knows time will tell time will tell
Okay, so this is episode 65 and if you follow us on instagram
Then you saw that I was recently down in florida
And I was able to connect to a few with a few other like japanese car guys. Yeah
And
So
Dude, what's the what's the florida seem like because anytime we have anyone on here from florida
It seems crazy. It's just how they seem like they're like it's non-stop. There's always a show always a meet
Yeah, there's tons of shops tons of cars tons of like
Crews of people I guess everything like yeah, it's just so many people like what what was it like?
So, yeah, that was kind of my first question. Okay, so I was um in orlando and um a listener
And just a guy that we kind of knew on instagram michael ford hit me up and he was like, hey, dude
We're getting together
Well, actually first he was like, hey
um
freddy from spec tuned is going to be
Dino-ing in tuning
this guy's car and um, then they were taking like an eight hour cruise around central florida
And I was like I was like dang. Yeah, like I'm here with my family
I probably can't bounce for like eight to ten hours eight hour cruise dude. That's all day
I know dude the route I probably could still pull it out was like
All around florida. I was like dude. That's cool. You guys are putting miles on the cars for sure
And like you got nice roads and like beautiful weather like guess I can't blame you
So I had to pass up on that which
Little bum because I wanted to meet freddy from spec tuned but like yeah. Oh, well, there are other times
But then he hit me up again. Like he just wouldn't give up. He's like, hey, dude
How about this, you know, you want to come to cars and coffee? You got time to do that
He gets since the itch
Yeah, he's yeah, so I was like, yeah, dude
I can come out to cars and coffee and I showed up and it was at full sale university down there in florida and
I was like
I pulled in and I was like, dude, holy crap
Like the whole parking lot was just filled with
All kinds of cars like not all jdm cars
Right, just like a typical cars and coffee. I mean they have everything right like zotics, which i'm sure crazy down there
Imports muscle like all of it, right? Yeah, so I guess this full sale one is kind of
Yeah, like a mix, but I guess there are specific
like
There are jdm specific cars and coffee. There is exotic specific. There is domestic specific there is
Yeah, he said, um, you know on like on that sunday. There was six
total cars and coffees at this on the same day at the same time and just
Yeah, like in the same general type area or yeah, I I don't necessarily know
Right like within driving distance. He said he could go to any of them that he wanted
Uh, I mean, yeah, it's got an r34. You can yeah, I mean you can kind of do what you want, right?
Yeah, it was pretty pretty much the
Yeah, I mean there was amazing cars there. Obviously there was some really cool stuff some like
Really cool portery can stuff. Yeah, what like rotaries? Like yes
Yeah, and like a lot. Yeah, like it's just crazy how deep they go like they're crazy, but
And it's crazy how hard
They represent dude like I want to be portery can dude like they go so hard like it's like dude
Why aren't we freaking proud like that? Yes, like everywhere
Dude, what do you mean with the airbrush t-shirts the airbrush license? But
Everything like everything, right?
But like dude, they're repping like they're they're proud and and like I'm into it because I think it's cool that they have that type of pride
Yeah, that's sick. But yeah, I would say like, you know seen as alive and well
I was I was asking him about other GTRs or other
Right-hand drive cars and he was just listing them all off and all the owners and whatnot. No, it's like dude like
That's a lot. I was like dude me and my buddy have like
The skylines in man. I'm like there's there's a few other dudes don't get me wrong
But like not really not I mean the whole state of Maine was being represented in that parking lot for sure
so yeah, I could definitely see that but yeah, so
I definitely noticed that
Like there's clearly like money down there. You know, there was some pretty crazy cars
You know, even just yeah crazy lambos and McLaren's driving through like the whole deal. I mean
I don't know. I feel like
Probably the most of what I saw was uh civics
Civics like me. Yeah fl fives. There was a there was like a line of fl
Five's like a ton of them and I was just like
Wow, okay, like is this the fl five cars and coffee. Yeah, that's how I felt
But I was into it. I'm like dude. These are cool. They was like a bunch of different colors
I mean, I would say that was the most of one car that was there. Otherwise. It was just very
Spread out some that you got. I don't even know dude. They do crazy stuff down there
There's kids riding around and mini monster trucks like I feel like there might have been a
One of those little drag cars out there, you know, like we saw at GTR festival with that little girl
I'm like what like you guys bring this bring this like like they bring everything dude. So I mean
I only got to see one of the six cars and coffee, but it was sick. I was like, dude. I wish I had my car
I'd be pulled up right here. Yeah
With you right now
Excuse me. I'm sorry, dude. I'm not gonna lie. Everybody can tell I'm tired. Yeah, I was up early. I got to sleep late
I'm trying up early dude. I'm trying to not like
Yawn, but if I do
I'm sorry. Let the guy that um
So, yeah, it was cool. Uh, you know, I chatted I I got to look at Michael's car. It's a v-spec
Um with you know, some clearly are 34. Yeah are 34 v-spec
Um, and he got it in 2023. I guess he told me the story. He said
Him and his girl got together they got married they each had a house
She said hey sell your house and spend it on whatever I said
I said, dude, what I said, what like what I'm like
What like how does that happen? You know what I was like I was like I was like what?
Your old lady lets you sell your house keep the money and spend it on whatever you wanted
I was like, dude
That's bless her bless her dude. Um, so
Yeah, I guess he got a v-spec 34 cost the house. I guess
Yeah, he said he has
He said he has 295 thousand dollars total
I don't know if he's counting every tank of gas or what dude, but I'm like, holy crap, dude
You know like so he said that he's got about 295 into it total
And I was like wow, okay, and yeah, it's a beautiful car. It was you know
Just like mine qm one. He had the 19 inch
LMG t4s. He has the v-spec two hood. Oh, yeah
He has the v-spec diffuser, you know, whatever but then obviously
The major difference between his and mine was the up bill motor. Oh, that was like the major. Yeah. Yeah, like
So I bet
Yeah, I was like
I mean, it's it's gorgeous. We saw the um car when we were
Actually doing our up episode the car was
On the lift. Yeah, and then the motor was out
And we we saw the motor. Yeah
So that was cool like full circle like like saw the car being built now saw the car and then
You know, obviously he offers me a ride and I'm like
How do you say no to that? I mean, well, yeah, first he asked me if I want to drive it and you know like
like guys like
Yeah, like it's been happening a lot more lately. Like you guys are asking me to drive your car. Yeah
That's awesome. That is that makes me feel really good, right? And I really appreciate it
But I'm not going to drive your car
Like it's stop asking this guy to drive your nice cars. Yeah, I'm like I'm like dude and and again like don't get me wrong
It's just simply it's it's like dude that man sold his house. Yeah that like dude
for
And I don't know that car and I like to get to know a car before I drive a car
Like that because I've made mistakes in the past that like
That I learned from right and what I learned is I'm not driving your fucking car
That's what I learned, dude, you know, because I the last thing I need
Even if it's not my fault if if I'm hammering down and somebody makes a lane change and gets that rear quarter, dude
I'm devastated. Right. Yeah, you know and and so yeah, it's not for any reason beyond
I don't want to be the person that is in your car if something happens because I know how hard you worked for it
um, so yeah, he we jump in the car and I'm like
You know, okay, like I've written in some gtrs. This is cool. I'm excited. I have and not I wrote in the in the
Shop car at up but like that was a 32 with like a stock 2.6 type thing
Different, you know, but still was nice, you know, that shop car was like smooth and had good throttle response
It was great
so to actually
You know a truly built hks 2.8 with hks ss turbos on it
I was excited v spec. No, sorry v cam spec 2
Stage 2 and so I was like, okay, like I should really get to feel what a balanced car feels like
Through driving or riding in this right and dude. I did like that car, you know
That car is just like awesome like that car with
The turbos I have the 25 30s is probably like perfect like
Perfect. Yeah, like for a street
Drive driven car, right? You're not maybe you're taking it to a track day with your friends just for fun
You're not trying to break any records
You just want to be able to power out of the corners and like, you know that type of thing
That car is awesome. Like we're like, dude, it didn't matter
He was in second gear at 5000 rpm and it was there. He was at fifth gear at
2800 rpm and it was there. I was like, yes, I was just like what I was like, there's no way
He's like, oh, you want me to do it in sixth gear. I was like, I bet you won't
Dude, he did like 3000 rpm and sixth gear and it pulled and I was like, dude, this is like what I need
I need that like just smooth and the power is always being delivered
so like major props to Doug and Eric at up for being able to
You know
Create this recipe that truly is balanced like they said it is, you know, it was balanced and then of course
You know, he has good suspension and good tires and in all of it
combined made like
A really good experience like a really good experience. I was I was super impressed. So
You know, I mean
Don't get me wrong. Tommy would call it soft
Tommy Tommy would call it soft because it's not a thousand horsepower. Oh, yeah, of course. It's not an rb 30
Yeah, but like dude for like most of us guys like riding around the street enjoying our cars not like being crazy
Yeah, yeah, it was it was sick for sure
Um, and it and it looked great and he seemed to pretty much be content with it
Like looks great. It looked like pretty much a 20 year car. Yeah, it was and for you sent me a picture of it
I believe and I was like, wait
Wait, I thought you said it was in california. Yeah, no, it was it felt like yeah the twin of my car
But obviously my interior is different and like right some things but yeah, it was it was good and
So, yeah, I super appreciated that I I met
You know, a few of his friends one of them with a 33
He's gonna end up being on the podcast in a few weeks
You know, we're just he was super knowledgeable guy
Really loved his car. So we'll just we'll find out more about the
Florida scene from him, you know, I I kind of talked to him about it a little bit
um
But his car actually was getting like retuned because this shitty tuner that
I will
May rename will remain nameless
Uh, do you know the name?
Tell me later. Yeah, that's a good idea
Um, but so this guy, I guess is known for putting out like quick
Just cookie cutter tunes and I guess freddy at spektune is so backed up doing lz's cars and all these in
Oh, yeah, and feo's cars or whatever when you're good, dude. Yeah, you're good. And so, um
But he will drop everything for
Anyone who has been tuned by this one guy. No shit like a spike tune. Yes
That's exactly what it was. And so this dude
Would not like freddy would not return this guy's dms, right? Because he's busy. He's not taking on any new clients
Yeah, and tell this guy says hey, I'm just trying to fix my tune that blubba blood did
immediately
No, yeah
Yeah, he wants to fix all the tunes that this guy did dude freddy's a real one for that. Yeah, that's that's super cool
Yeah, if someone's known in the scene for doing shit work and someone steps up like that to take care of it
Like that's that's super cool for that guy. Yeah, it's probably it's one less blown motor. Yeah, that too, you know
There it is
But yeah, I mean, so yeah, that was cool
And then I also was able to go down and spend some time at hd works
Yeah
Down in I can't I don't know all those florida
cities pompano beach west palm beach
Wherever he was one of those down it was down there
But yeah, I you know, we had had peter on the episode, you know, whatever probably almost a year ago now and
I've kept in contact with him and when I knew I was going down there and I looked up the shop
And it was only 20 minutes from where I was going to be I'm like, yeah, I gotta I gotta go
You know
and yeah, dude, I showed up and
They welcomed me with open arms. They were
Yeah, it's it's crazy these shops right because we've been to like a few now and like they all have a lot of similarities and like some
pretty unique differences, but
hd works is like
They they're they reminds me of up garage in the sense of like
Like in contrast to to garage s0. Yeah, like up and hd works
the owners are
working every minute that the
Staff are right if there's even staff, right?
Whereas like garage s0. There's like a manager tommy and then there is staff who is like working, right?
Which is just two different, you know two different models. There's nothing wrong with either. No, no
That's just they're just different, right? And so
um, yeah, peter's
in it every minute that the shop is open and and so you walk in and there's like
There's just a
A bunch of cars like that like there's basically four main rooms and each car is in different stages throughout those rooms
for the most part
And like but there's four rooms, but like three dudes
You know, so i'm like, yeah, i'm like, dude. What do you i'm like?
Where's the other guys?
You know and he's like no, dude, we are the other guys
We're the guys and the other guys. No, and i'm just like holy moly like
And you can see it on peter's face like you can see it in his posture
like
He's working all the time, you know like and and they're creating
Quality products quality cars. Yeah, like they've you know, they've got their own steering wheels
They're starting to do some other things that are like hd works branded. Yeah, they are
Pursuing their restoration program and the hd works restoration number
001 is complete
You know and so I can only imagine being a business owner like okay. I'm trying to maintain. I'm trying to progress
I'm trying to like all these things
At once that are all completely different
You know and that's not talking about billing ordering, you know all these other things
So there's three of them, but like working on stuff like
It can't be three of them all the time because peter has to do
The actual admin work as well. Yeah, you know and and like
This is no knock on them. This is a lot of
This is a lot of shops right because you get so deep into the work
You get so deep into the project that everything else goes to the wayside and so
You know in in my past life
I owned a screen printing in a sign shop right like I help people do branding. Yeah, so
I noticed that stuff immediately. I noticed all of that whenever I go anywhere
like my brain goes to like these things and so
When I pulled up at hd works, I could hardly tell it was hd works dude
He had he has a banner on the front of the building. That's like 10 years old or something in the floor to sun
Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, and like and again, that's no knock on him
His priorities as a business owner is his customer not his appearance right like
Like understood a hundred percent. It's the I mean, it was the same thing at up
It was the same thing at garage s zero right the appearance
Is not the priority the work and and like the customer is the priority
So that's what I noticed peter's been so heavy in it trying to get these cars
In and then get them out in a quality
Like
I don't know whatever you want to say. Yeah, get them out correctly that all of the other stuff doesn't matter
Yeah, you know, yeah, I mean with hd works like I
I like I've seen their complete builds and like seeing
What they can do, but I've never seen like I've just never
Looked at much of the shop side whenever you sent me pictures of the place dude. I was like, holy shit, dude
this might be like
The most skylines in one place in america potential or like definitely top five definitely probably top three every so
Again, when you walk in it's like almost like I don't know. I I don't know
I didn't get to get into them what each room really was. Yeah, there's like an engine room where there are building engines there was
A room where it was like they're in processing, you know, like being taken apart getting ready for paint or something like that
but dude, yeah
like
Each room was full like
Not to butt of skylines, dude like like 34s 33s 32s like there was one fd
There was one
Like wrx
There might have been a supra, but everything else was a skyline
For sure more skylines in there than any other shop that I've been to so far and I was just like wow, dude
Like I think they're he had
He I don't know he had some special stuff in there. It was a few weeks ago now
So I I don't want to misquote anything, but they did have like I said the hd work 001
Um
Yellow 33 that they completely restored and it looks sick the motor looked awesome
I I didn't get to hear it run or anything, but like
It looked like a new car like the paint it looked it looked like anything else. I've seen by these companies
You know, it was it was awesome. So
Um, you know, we just we chatted about how yeah, how hard it is to run these companies and
Try to keep up with like
The jones's quote unquote not that that's what he's trying to do
He made it very clear that he's not trying to keep up with tommy f. Yeah, or you know any of these social media influencers
Like the work comes first and like the marketing comes second for them. Yeah, which I get because they literally have so many cars in there that like
They're consumed with it, right? Yeah, they are they can't even stop to make posts because they're so busy
Yeah, I mean that's that's good and the work keeps coming. So I guess like what they're doing is working
Yeah, but to your point last night when we were talking about it like
You would think hd worked and I would think after going in there like seeing shelves of hks parts seeing shelves of just these different
Like dude, they have so many parts on hand. Yeah, you know, you would think that nationally
Their name would be
Bigger or mention more. Yeah. Yeah, you know, you would just think I would just think that
You know, but it's because they're not trying to keep up with that right is that it doesn't it's like they almost couldn't like
They they wouldn't be able to keep up since they're so like almost not necessarily maxed out right now, but like
They're doing a lot. Yeah, they are they're doing with only three dudes
that's yeah, and I was super impressed and peter is like
Super humble and and like was willing to give me
Well over an hour of his time that he probably didn't have
Yeah, you know that probably should have been on a customer's car. So yo, I apologize if you on the red fd
Like that's my bad that it got held back a little bit, but I appreciate it, you know
Um, but yeah, I just saw a group of three dudes that believe in it. Yeah, just working hard, you know, and that seems to be
A common theme like as far as a lot of these guys, right?
They're just there's a dude or two beside them that believe in it as well that help carry everything forward
Yeah, and I think a lot of these shops like
You know they
There's no way
Like I believe Doug and Eric said there's no way that they get paid for every single hour that they touch the car, right?
So like a lot of this is for the passion and for the love of it and that's like
I think that that's what makes it real. Yeah, it's like
They enjoy doing this so much
that they're willing to
You know work on it on their time. I guess you could say
Yeah, just to get it done and like get it knocked out and to see the finished product because that's what they
They're into
Yeah, and you know in my honest opinion. I don't believe
Any of these shops that are solely working on cars hd works
UP garage, right? Like
These people that have the passion that are solely working on cars. None of these dudes are getting
Wealthy. Yeah. Yeah, no one's getting their job. They're not getting rich off it. They are
fueling their passion and
Giving back to a community that they love. That's yeah, that's how I see you know and
Yeah, I mean peter has to be the admin the accountant the
Human resources. Yeah the ordering guy the the whatever right and so
Those are a lot of heavy bags to carry. Oh, yeah, you know being a small business owner and so
Like much respect to him and hd works. I really appreciate them
Allowing me to come through and just
See how they do things. It really gave me a good perspective so that I could share it
and
Yeah, I'm gonna bring some vinyl down there and I'm gonna I'm gonna bring some banners and we're gonna get hd works
Version two, you know, yeah get a little rebranded. I enjoy that and I don't mind doing it
You know for these guys, right same thing, right? Yeah, literal same thing like
I'm not gonna charge him what a guy would charge him to install vinyl around a
Six thousand square foot shop, right? I'm gonna charge him what it cost me and then smile and enjoy it the whole time
I'm doing it. Yeah. Yeah. I'm getting a work in a shop full of skylines
Like are you kidding? Like all I gotta do is put these stickers on the wall like these right, you know
So yeah same type of thing and and uh, yeah, I really don't mind doing it
Yeah, that that was pretty much my my Florida trip
He he did say that when I come back down if I wanted to get
Rav or rav rav performance rav tuning. Yeah, the Tommy's arch nemesis
If I want to get him on that that uh, he's sure that he would do it and I was like, yeah
We'll see man. That would be a that would be a good one if we could we could spice it up a little
Get get a little clap back there. But um, yeah, pretty much. I'm just just waiting on this 34
Hopefully it comes through. So I guess to finish it out. Did you see anything in Florida that made you say?
What the fuck?
Like any car
Any, oh, I'm sure any sort of action someone was doing in their car anything like that
Specifically am I forgetting something? I don't know. No. No. No. I was just asking in general because I mean, I didn't see anybody
You always hear Florida man
All that crazy stuff. So I was just seeing if you saw anything cool like that, you know
Um
No, I don't I don't think did I tell you something that I'm forgetting. No, no, no, you didn't. Yeah
I'm like any actions in the car. I'm like, what do you mean? What did I see?
I didn't know if you saw anyone do a takeover type stuff or like
Just any crazy
But I wasn't really, you know to be honest
I wasn't really in the scene besides the two things I talked about you know the rest of the time
I was pretty much with my family. I mean, they're definitely like Florida drivers suck like that's for sure. They drive like idiots, but
No, I didn't get anything good to really
Oh, well, maybe next time you're down those totally black. Yeah, maybe I'll see him whipping a six-fold or whatever it is that he's gonna whip
Um, but yeah guys for sure. We appreciate you listening and supporting us. We figured we'd just come update you
We apologize. No christmas list, but I think we're both getting exactly what we want, you know
Hope everyone else does too. Yeah, absolutely
Um, and yeah, merry christmas 100 percent. Um, but for episode
165
I'm bobby. This is Aaron. See ya. Peace
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