VIP Performance's 10th annual memorial Day BBQ

        Memorial day marks a lot of different things for a lot of people.  In the car world it is the beginning of racing and show season.  VIP Performance in Portland has helped celebrate with an awesome BBQ and car show for the last ten years.  Nicole and I went to the 2013 BBQ and had a blast so we figured it was about damn time we went back.  This years event did not disappoint!  How do you go wrong with burgers, car shows, music, raffles, and dyno runs?!?

They say it always rains in Portland....  I call bullshit!  It was a beautiful sunny day.  Hot even!

Music bumping and food grilling always makes for a good time.  Hot dogs and hamburgers for everyone!  Thanks VIP!

VIP had a few awesome cars stacked inside the garage as always.

The main showcase car was this insane electric 1972 Datsun 1200

That is a 9" wound DC motor that puts out 538HP and 1250 foot pounds of INSTANT torque

 This car has set several records.  In 2004 it was the first street legal electric vehicle to hit 100mph in the 1/4mile.  6 years later it became the first EV to run a 10 second 1/4 mile.  It also boasts the best 60 foot launch and 0-60mph times at 1.3 seconds as well

It also has a 335v, 21.3kWh LiPol battery pack and LOTS of controllers.

This Acura was just straight up mean looking.

Huge tires...

And just look at those screamer pipes! Look at them!

This little Cressida had a JZ swap under the hood.  AWESOME!

Sitting right next to it was a work in progress Corolla wagon with a V8 crammed in it!

DAAAAAAMN!

This Volkswagen swap was super popular when we were here in 2013.  I think there were at least 5!

Guys, it's just a CRX.  Calm yourselves! ;)

So I am NOT a fan of the CRX much at all but this one deserves some credit for sure.  I don't think I'd complain about having a turboed B18C in a CRX. 

Very clean swap and engine bay

We really liked this EG Civic too

LOVED the details on this one. That wood looking valve cover is pretty awesome.

It wouldn't be a show without Godzilla!!

Of course this 4x4 Datsun "1300" 520 truck caught our eye!

AHHHH!   Electric also!   Very awesome!  I can only imagine how awesome this truck would drive with a heavy load.

The Supra has always and will always be one of my personal favorites. 2 showed up this year

oh yeah.....

Okay so the last two cars are pretty special.  The Honda Beat and the Honda Street.

The Honda Beat is a rear wheel drive, mid-engined two-seat roadster car produced from 1991 to 1996. The Beat was the last car to be approved by Soichiro Honda before he died in 1991. Being that they were first made in 1991 this is the first year you can import them without running through a basically impossible and very expensive gauntlet to get it here

The total number of cars produced was only around 33,600. Relatively speaking that's a pretty low number for a major manufacturer.

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And now time for the Honda Street!

This is a second generation one which i'm sure still has the 547cc 3-cylinder engine. That's a whopping 35 hp yo! The Beat has the updated version of this engine at 42 or 58(FI) hp!

I think it's so cool to finally see some of Japan's cars in person.  It's an awesome insight into their lives and culture. 

 

This truck/van is in REALLY good condition!

Awesome day at a really cool shop with some really cool and unique cars.  Couldn't ask for much more!  Thanks again VIP and for everyone for bringing their rides out!