Because the lone Canadian everlasting resident on workers, I typically really feel responsible about how little of my nation I’ve been capable of share on Speedhunters.

Being from Ontario, I’ve had ample alternative to seize occasions right here, however Canada at massive? Hardly. Nonetheless, because of our reader-powered IAMTHESPEEDHUNTER program, each Alberta and British Columbia have had their moments on the website’s entrance web page.

Montreal additionally noticed some love when just a few Speedhunters hitched a trip with FD groups. However noticeably absent from the fray since this website’s inception has been The Maritimes.

The Maritimes encompasses the japanese area of Canada, consisting of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. By way of the facility of web boards, I grew to become buddies with my present favorite Maritimer, Will Northrup.

Will and I’ve identified one another for over a decade now, and for the higher a part of that point he’s been working at getting me out to The Maritimes to take a look at his occasion – StanceEast‘s Summer time Slam Jam. I’d at all times responded to him with a reasonably non-committal “subsequent yr”. I’m a horrible good friend, I do know.

Will lastly had sufficient of my lack of comply with by and took issues into his personal fingers, reserving me a flight and resort for the current 2023 occasion.

There was only one small catch. I needed to be a decide. No strain…

A Change Of Surroundings

Not way back, Paddy talked about a stage of disenchantment he felt in the direction of automotive occasions. If I’m to be trustworthy, I’ve been hit with these emotions greater than as soon as myself. Do sufficient of them back-to-back, and one indoor venue isn’t all that totally different from the subsequent.

The comically overpriced venue pizza doesn’t style any higher both.

Earlier than I knew it, years had handed since the final summer time present I attended at a big venue. This sadly made me overlook simply how enjoyable these occasions will be.

Exhibits actually are solely as critical as you make them, and StanceEast doesn’t make them very critical in any respect. There are awards and a schedule on the Summer time Slam Jam, certain, however the occasion is basically simply one other excuse for the group to come back collectively.

Any automobile can enter and everyone seems to be welcome. Seize a automobile and cargo it up with your mates, two-legged or 4.

There’s dwell music, chilly refreshments and clearly loads of autos.

Again To Fundamentals

Summer time Slam Jam’s format is fairly easy: If you wish to keep for the day, attempt your hat (forward of time) at getting one of many indoor spots. If not, park outdoors.

Each sections are eligible for awards and, fairly actually, each the indoor and out of doors areas had loads to have a look at.

If stance is your factor, there’s loads of low to go round.

Do you like to have a look at vehicles with extra of a efficiency focus? There was fairly a little bit of that as properly.

Selection at occasions has at all times been necessary to me, so I used to be blissful to see rebadged mid-’90s warriors just like the Eagle Talon not too distant from present shared platform vehicles just like the MkV Supra.

It’s additionally a bit of onerous to not be impressed by an occasion that hosts a wonderful 1000+ horsepower BNR32 Nissan Skyline GT-R.

Summer time Slam Jam 2023 additionally marked the primary time I’ve had the chance to see a Baltic Blue Supra in individual. There’s simply 107,000km on this well-kept instance that lately arrived from Australia.

Exterior, an ever-changing variety of vehicles got here and went all through the day.

East Coast Hondas

One thing Won’t ever revealed to me, is simply how a lot folks from The Maritimes like their Hondas and Acuras.

The present wasn’t dominated by Hondas, however there was a wholesome displaying of each new and outdated.

Despite the fact that I simply visited an ’80s and ’90s-themed automobile present, I don’t recall seeing a single EF sedan. Out East, this one scraped in later within the day.

The EF’s proprietor wasn’t the just one dedicated to driving like he parked it both. Pushing the boundaries of using static is actually extremely popular in Jap Canada.

I discovered myself repeatedly returning to this first-gen Acura Legend. I’m a bit of extra aware of the later fashions, resulting from my age, however I do know that when this era was launched it was the primary V6 of the Honda lineup.

Extra identified for his or her four-cylinder engines within the ’80s, the C25 and C27 V6s actually modified the way in which folks seen the model in North America. This automobile was remarkably clear contemplating it’s near 40 years outdated.

Practically the identical classic, and color, this H22A-swapped Accord hatchback was simply as clear because the Legend. The average drop and Enkei92 wheels actually swimsuit the automobile.

Sure, that could be a V6 J-series engine beneath the hood of an EK Civic hatchback.

From the manufacturing facility, J-series engines got here in sedans and CLs, so they’re fairly tall and huge. This makes them a bit of difficult to shoehorn right into a smaller automobile just like the Civic; it finally ends up being a little bit of a balancing act between hood clearance and floor clearance. When you look fastidiously, you’ll be able to see that the hood’s internal construction has been fastidiously trimmed away for the consumption manifold.

In a world filled with Ok-swaps, nonetheless, it’s good to see a J thrown into the combination.

Fill Your Boots

When you’ve observed I’ve spent most of this publish avoiding the autos I judged, don’t fear, we’ll get there… within the subsequent publish. For now, I’ll go away you all with an prolonged gallery beneath. To my East Coast buddies, thanks for the hospitality!

Dave Thomas
Instagram: stanceiseverythingcom