During the spring/summer months, the show tours come and go, then we have a long break. Most of the local community has their calendars marked, counting down the days to First Class Fitment (FCF). Not only is the show undoubtedly a good time, it’s one of the last days of the year when the entire community is under the same roof, so to speak. This year, more than ever, FCF promised to outdo past shows. Two reasons for that. First and foremost, FINAL FORM USA.
The Texas crew who are infamous for their build executions and parts selection announced their attendance earlier this year. Well-known for their unique JDM RX7 builds, FCF also marked the date of the debut of their newest project, which has been years in the making, the Final Form S14. Seeing the render by Khyzyl Saleem months prior and watching the build progress afterward, we knew this was going to be a machine the likes of which we rarely see in the United States and the world for that matter. On top of that, all of the RX-7’s were slated to pay us a visit as well. This was shaping up to be quite the line-up.
After traveling for a couple of days, the crew arrived on the Thursday prior to FCF. Right on time for our STREET ICONS NYC gathering. We’ll talk about that later. Having been on a few roads trips for car show’s myself, I can definitely respect their dedication in making the epic journey to our area. Fatigue, damage, among other things are always in the back of one’s mind when embarking on such a journey. Fast forward to Saturday, everyone is safe and sound. The cars are looking phenomenal as expected.
David’s current version of the #FinancialDisaster FD3S. One of the top FDs in the states. The mixture of JDM parts results in a presence few can match.
Not too far off was Khiem Pham’s FEED 2JZ FD. FEED (Fujita Engineering) aero on the outside and the power to back it up. I know many purists might not be into a non-rotary FD, it’s a good thing I’m not a purist.
@Clayspec with the classic RE look. Loving those Craft Square mirrors! A lot of people I spoke to preferred this style. A more refined street tuned version compared to the aggressive counterparts. How can anyone argue with that? Not to be outdone, this FC3S owned by @cristo_dathird breaks up the FD line-up in every way.
Then we have the debut, the Final Form S14. Built by @Affinismotorsports, this was easily the draw of the show for me. After seeing its swift development progress over the past few months, finally witnessing this s14 before my own eyes was a sight to behold. I felt as if I was at the Tokyo Auto Salon again trying to find that one build that just needed to be admired.
As far as S14s go, most owners usually tend to go for a clean street style or full on drift mode. This is a different approach. A track/time attack spec S14 with all of the elements and style found in a JDM build. Reminiscent of the Japan 90s era shop cars. However, this is not a Japan parts only build. A closer inspection will reveal many US-spec additions that further enhance the performance of this one of a kind S14. Lets take a closer look at some of the details…
Even this sticker is epic. I didn’t ask but assuming this is signed by non-other than Under Suzuki. Current Tsukuba circuit record holder.
The S14 would end up winning the award for Best JDM. It deserves that and more. Looking forward to seeing what the future holds for this build. Tsukuba’s waiting…
Moving on. Back in July, we held the first ever in the US 7’s day. We mentioned, this is the year of the rotary revival, and we weren’t too far off. Coincidentally, this was the 7th year of FCF! To celebrate this milestone, Dave Tormey curated a special section of the show: The Rotary Rivalry. A gathering of some of the best RX7 builds I’ve seen anywhere, period.
It was about two years ago, Pravan and I saw Andy’s @RESuper7 build on social media. It was quite the surprise to know such a perfect catalog build was roaming the streets of NJ. We then, of course, have the O.G., Ted Solano aka @regimentzero_fd3s. Back then, we just had to ask them to honor us at our booth. Check out the next shot for a look back at Andy and I along with Ted walking by. There were only two RX-7’s of that caliber that year. Fast forward two years, and raise that number to 10+!
I must say, Ted’s new look is RE-Perfection. Loving the new RE-Amemiya Facer N1 02 bumper. We were speaking of the RE headlight covers as well. Very nostalgic look if you’re a fan of this style of tuning.
EMOTION Crew, Jeff Ritucci’s Vertex FD made an appearance as well. FD’s don’t have to be RE all the time! The Car Make T-and-E aero, Volk GT-Cs, a full sound system and a built engine bay made this one of the best show cars in general at FCF in my opinion.
What would an RX7 only section be without Phil’s incredible AC037 RE-Amemiya FD? Easily now one of the icons of the New York JDM rotary community. The conversion is rare and the execution is top tier. As you may have heard, Phil joined FCF later in the day after spending the entire night respraying his car. He basically drove out of the paint booth, straight to the show. With many other RX7 owners in attendance, the Rotary Rivalry was a must attend event for him. Fashionably late in every sense.
A look at the future. What if I told you there was an epic 3 Rotor Veilside FD in the works? It’s happening. The owner also stopped by late in the day to give us all a preview of what’s to come. We’ll definitely keep a close eye on this one.
I don’t believe there’s anyone out there can’t admire an RX-7. Whether it’s the timeless body lines or the infamous rotary engine, RX-7s always capture the attention of both enthusiasts and random observers. With the addition of parts from legendary shops all over Japan, owners have a multitude of options to create machines that reflect their vision.
Since the inaugural event, the Canibeat crew has created custom trophies that directly correspond to each competitive category. This year’s Rotary Rivalry award was in my opinion one of the best they’ve ever created. Its quality definitely reflected the fierce competition and passion of rotary owners. With so many high level builds on the same grounds, this must’ve been a challenging choice for the judges. As a competitor, taking that award home would be extremely gratifying. And the winner was…
The Final Form FD. David’s creation takes home top honors in the Rotary category. No arguments here. Congrats!
Final Form USA and The Rotary Rivalry were definitely two of the highlights of First Class Fitment this year, however! We still have the show itself to cover. Stay tuned as I tag in Pravan for the next coverage post. Thanks for reading!
