LJ Garcia - LJ Tuning

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LJ Garcia: The Story
I have built many award winning show vehicles over the past 15 years. My success and the success of my show cars has created a solid following of both car enthusiast and industry publishers in the USA and around the world. I have developed a reputation as a trendsetter having revolutionized the scene with the introduction of the wide body in the mid-1990’s, full audio/video incorporation into a show vehicle, 20 inch wheels on a Honda Civic in 2000, and always being a step ahead of the crowd.
1st to introduce wide body kit to USA import scene 1st to build show car utilizing full car audio and video 1st to apply 20” wheels to import show car 1st to gain Elite status at Hot Import Nights show 1st car to be shot for Super Street Magazine ‘96 Civic HB displayed at Petersen Automotive Museum (Los Angeles) 1st to build wide-body Scion xA
The Early Days of Racing
With my foot on the pedal I started my career back in 1990 building Toyota race cars and racing at LACR in Palmdale, CA. Although I loved the adrenaline of the racing scene I quickly realized that this venture would be a costly one as almost every race resulted in broken parts. In 1995 I changed gears and built my first show car, a 1994 Blue Honda Civic. With a little speed left in my veins I put the pedal to the metal one more time and in 1996 raced a Civic in a 1/4 mile race and made a time of 12.8 seconds. Focusing on my new love, show cars, in 1997 I hit the scene hard as I took the cover of Super Street magazine as the very first car to be shot for Super Street with my ‘94 Civic Hatchback. My name on the scene quickly started making waves and in 1998 I took another cover title when my ‘94 Civic Hatchback was shot for Sport Compact Car Magazine.
Stepping Out On My Own
I knew that to make it big I had to do something big. While everyone was doing the same thing and coming out with the same stuff I decide that I would take the risk of doing something that no one else was doing. I decided I would bring the first wide body kit from Japan to the USA, a trend which became a craze that changed the whole import scene and still affects it today.
Sticking with Honda’s in 1999 I started building my ‘96 Wide-Body Civic Hatchback, which was shot for the second issue of Import Tuner magazine and was also featured in 2000 on a Super Street cover. 1999 also marked my first appearance competing at Hot Import Nights. Sticking to my philosophy, “To be ahead of the game you’ve got to lead the pack”, I stepped out in the show scene at SEMA in 2000 as the first to outfit a Honda with 20 inch wheels. This move showed the import scene that I was not only a tuner but an innovator.
Continuing to compete in the show scene by 2001 I dominated the HIN circuit with my run of competing and winning consistently, which promted HIN to create an Elite Class to limit three ‘Best Of Show’ wins. Continuing to take covers in 2001 my ‘96 Civic was shot for AudioCar Magazine (Mexico). Proving that my creative talent goes beyond tuning cars I took time in 2001 to work with KMC Wheels to design LJ Garcia Wizdom Series wheels.
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"The Godfather"
Many years of hard work and exposure in the import scene proved to wear well on me and in 2002 I continued to be a leader in the industry. During this year SEMA chose me to be an Elite Panel judge for Modifiers and Meguires Best Import Vehicles, I was featured in Import Tuner Magazine under ‘Industry Profile’, and my ‘96 Civic took another cover when it was shot for Max Speed Magazine (UK).
Solidifying the fact that I have made my mark in the import industry as a tuner and an innovator, Performance Auto & Sound Magazine (Canada) referred to me as “The Godfather” in one of their articles. That name has stuck and since the publishing of that article I have been referred to as “The Godfather” throughout the industry.
Slightly changing lanes in my career in 2003 I was commissioned by Scion to build a 2004 Scion xA which was launched at SEMA 2003 at the Scion booth. In that same year I went international when my ‘96 Civic Hatchback was chosen to appear at the Cayman Islands Quincentennial Celebrations Car Show in the Caribbean.
In true LJ style my 2004 Scion xA hit the scene with rave reviews and received coverage by Import Tuner, BScene, Performance Business Magazine and a host of web sites. The Scion xA took an American tour and was used as a marketing tool by Scion to tap into a sector of the American culture that was being overlooked by many manufacturers selling in the American market. That sector is known as the “urban” market and with my looks, style, and vehicles I am a sure fit to bridge any business with that market.
The Import Scene Heads Into Mainstream America
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Catching the tail end of the Hot Import Nights circuit for 2005, Hanes, the No. 1 apparel brand in the United States teamed up with Hot Import Nights (HIN) and myself to launch its latest creation for men – the Perfect T. According to the autochanel.com, “L.J. Garcia legendary tuner for more than fifteen years, has customized the perfect ride for Hanes, a 4 door Honda Civic LX, featuring his signature paint color-LJ Garcia yellow”. During the Hanes Perfect T campaign I shared the Hanes homepage with the likes of Jennifer Love Hewitt, Damon Wayans and Donald Trump.
In late 2005 I partnered up with major American car manufacturer General Motors when I unveiled the new LJ Garcia Saturn Ion Redline at SEMA 2005. As I made the transition from import world to domestic market I brought with me the flare and boldness of the import scene into the world of domestics with my Wide Body Saturn Ion Red Line. For me the import scene is a culture, it is way of life, a philosophy of designing and I have taken all that the import scene embodies into mainstream America.
I have been building highly regarded tuner vehicles for more than 15 years, with my creations gracing many magazine covers. As someone who always works to be one step ahead of the crowd it should be no surprise that I took the bold leap into a new sector of the automotive market by creating the ultimate domestic tuner vehicle.
Hanes and LJ Garcia Join Forces Again in 2006
My customized 2005 Saturn Ion Red Line, which debuted at SEMA 2005, joined the Hot Import Nights (HIN) 2006 tour as the new Hanes vehicle for ‘06. The success of the Hanes HIN 2005 tour featuring my customized 4-door Honda Civic was so great that Hanes decided to do it again this year. In ’06 I will be making my way across the US with Hanes and HIN talking with import fans about my work, my new Ion Red Line, the import scene and promoting Hanes Perfect T. In addition to my US tour, I also went international this year. In May I returned to my homeland, the Philippines, as a special guest judge at a car show that was held there. The event brought a number of Filipino-Americans home for the first mainstream US style import car show in Manila at the World Trade Center. With a start like that the year is sure to be a success so keep an eye out be-cause there will be more to come from me in 2006.
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Taking Time Out To Enjoy Life in The Cayman Islands...My Favorite Vacation Spot
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