Unique Second-Gen Camaro Adds Japanese Style to an American Icon
Trans Am-inspired second-gen Camaro is just one of many finely crafted builds coming from this JDM shop.
The Japanese and American car scenes have largely gone their separate ways in terms of style, but every so often, we see these two very different worlds collide. There have been Japanese cars modified with American cues and vice-versa, but few have gone to the extreme like a fellow name June, who was recently profiled in this video from Hagerty. Operating a custom car shop outside of Tokyo, June builds some of the coolest JDM style rides we’ve ever seen, including his second-gen Camaro, a true testament to his love for American muscle.
Make no mistake, however – while June builds some incredible-looking cars, he also drives them. In fact, he drives these cars in a rather aggressive manner, mainly because as he admits, “it’s all about enjoying the cars.” He admits that this type of endeavor is difficult, however, as it isn’t exactly easy to secure parts for cars in Japan from manufacturers that don’t have a presence there. In spite of these major obstacles and a few raised eyebrows from his JDM-loving cohorts, he manages to slap together some pretty amazing rides, regardless.
That much is clear from June’s Corvette build, which features a body kit designed by Mirasan of Rocket Bunny and Pandem fame, who is widely credited with being the creator of the over-fender craze and as a visionary in the automotive customization world in general. That ultra-clean machine was joined by a Mustang and our personal favorite – a truly wild second-gen Camaro – at this year’s Tokyo Auto Salon, where they stood essentially alone amid a sea of Japanese-based builds.
What’s particularly interesting about June’s second-gen Camaro is that even though it features Japanese modifications and style, it still looks distinctly American. The overall vibe is one of a vintage race car, complete with classically-styled wheels wrapped with Mickey Thompson rubber, one that was designed with inspiration from an old Trans Am racer. However, it’s adorned with Japanese branded logos, mixing up two very different worlds in a rather masterful way. With a 500 horsepower 396 underhood, it’s pretty darn quick, too.
To see what June is doing on the other side of the world is quite impressive, even for those that aren’t exactly fans of the JDM look. Somehow, he’s managing to combine two different styles into one, and the results don’t look out of place or offensive by any means. That’s not something that’s easy to do in the world of automotive customization, lending quite a bit of credence to the notion that June is a truly talented guy.
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