It's been a long time coming, but I've finally linked back up with James and his newest project. Way back when, we shot his Civic EF Hatch on Glendora Mountain Road in what would go down as one of my favorite shoots I've ever done (something about that mist and the twisty roads made me feel like California was suddenly Japan), so it was only fitting we complete another canyon run for the new build.
I was in town shooting AutoCon Los Angeles roll-in at the LA Convention Center and dipped out to drive up Angeles Crest for some golden hour goodness. Even though this particular pull-out has been used to shoot ludicrous numbers of cars by amateurs and pros alike, I couldn't pass up taking my stab at it for the first time.
After driving perfectly responsibly up the mountain, we reached the sizeable paved pull-out with only one other car that left mere minutes after our arrival. At the time, the sun was falling slowly down the canyon, but little did we know a wall of clouds would soon race up the canyon walls and meet the sun - effectively cutting our shoot time in half.
It was time to get to shooting.
Overall, James' S13 is in incredible shape. With only a hair over 76,000 miles, most of the work has been put into maintenance and mods rather than rebuilds and repairs. The Instant Gentleman replica front bumper, Doki Dori V1 side skirts, and Origin Lab trunk lip all help form one heck of a silhouette while the SSR MK1s are never out of sight.
The A-Spec Racing blast pipes were surprisingly enjoyable to listen to, and while I wasn't riding along in the S13's cabin, following along with the exhaust notes bouncing off the rock faces was a truly musical experience.
The (in)famous rock wall-backed profile shot.
Moving to the interior, James kept it OEM+ with a Personal 330mm wheel, TRUST shift knob, and S14 seats rounding out the goodies.
As the sun dropped, groups of cars came and went, all the while James and I kept taking photos and enjoying just how much variety the area displayed in the time it took the sun to disappear. The lighting quickly transitioned from a blinding gold to a rich orange before the sun dipping behind the clouds left the valley in a palette of cool blues and green hues.
The MK1 wheels really started to show off when they paired with the failing light and black paint of the 240, looking as if they were floating without the help of the Falken Azenis.
With the day's light all but gone and AutoCon looming large on the following day, I had James blast past a couple times for some panning shots and followed him down out of the canyon. If anything, this 240 is a lesson in how well keeping it simple can work and I'm really looking forward to what's in the future for this coupe..
