Back in November on the last leg of my West Coast SEMA tour, I stopped by N1 Concepts to check out the shop and meet some of the employees. Being located in Southern San Francisco, N1 Concepts is one of the top retailing JDM importers in the country. So naturally, Tunerzine had to bring you a few questions and answers with Norman Tong and Toma Woo on how N1 Concepts works.
Ben Howard for Tunerzine: Let me get some history on both of you to start. Who are you, what is your background and how did you get involved with the sport compact industry and N1 Concepts?
Toma: Hey STB, my name is Toma W. 30, Gemini, Single, Asian Male. HAHA!!!
My involvement with sport compacts started in 1995 with drag racing Hondas and getting rare Japanese parts way before “JDM” went mainstream. I’ve met a lot of people and learned a whole bunch. I stopped for a few years only to come back with a JDM CR-X project and marketing for NCCA, Formula D, and HIN. The scene is an addiction! Can’t get away from it. All in all, this industry is filled with great people and I am grateful to be in it.
I have known Norman Tong, the owner of N1 Concepts, for a very long time. Since the drag racing days when I first started. From there, I got to know his friends, hung out, partied and raced in all the local events. The time I stopped, I was working for Sony Computer Entertainment (PlayStation (r)) as a project manager and one of the many advisors for the Gran Turismo ™ franchise. After I left the company, I bumped into Norm and he picked me up to be in his company due to my extensive knowledge of the ever so popular JDM scene and mainstream car events.
My involvement with car shows was strictly marketing. When I came back into the industry back in 2001, I built up my CR-X to demonstrate the best of both worlds, race and show. On track days, I would race my car on circuits like Infineon Raceway and Laguna Seca. On show events, I would win JDM categories along with 2 other CR-Xs. I’m sure you have seen or heard about them, JDM Concept (www.JDMConcept.com). My car is to promote Form Over Function, which is slowly being the current trend. From that point, we would land many sponsors. For example, one of our biggest sponsors is Spoon Sports/Opak Racing. Then, the big dogs from HIN, NCCA, and Formula D came to us to show in their events in return to promote for them all over Northern California as well as being special guest judges for the JDM class whenever they have an event in town. Even till this day, we still keep in contact.
Ben Howard for Tunerzine: Work: how do you like working at N1 Concepts, what do you do there, and what are the perks of the job? I’m sure that it’s a bad ass daily grind, no?
Toma: I am a Online Sales Manager for East Coast/Canada regions on JDM/New Product. So if you are in need for parts, feel free to contact me! My AIM is N1 Concepts. As one of the perks, we travel around doing shows, meets, race events to promote the business. The perks are awesome! All I can say is, it feels like I’m in a JDM candy land. I give N1 Concepts my thumbs up!!!
Ben Howard for Tunerzine: Seeing that not only are you 30, but also that you were doing things back in ’95, how do you feel about the scene today? Do you like the way it has changed over the years? Which way do you see the scene going in the near future?
Toma: Wow, you’re making me sound like an old man already. HAHA! The changes in the industry are rapid and vast, some good, some bad. Back in the day, there wasn’t much of a scene, only local. There wasn’t much that you could do since the Internet wasn’t an option. Now, with the Internet playing a big role, the options are limitless. It became easier for people to see what others did to their cars from all around the world. With that in mind, the creativity bar was raised in tuning! When the substantial growth was evident, big corporations saw potential and are now putting in lots of money in support of the industry. From that time, there wasn’t much organization because it was still new, people were getting stressed out, lots of companies gained but others lost. Now in 2008, everything is more organized and streamlined than before because they learned from their mistakes. Even car manufacturers are getting into the game now, which I think is very cool! Finally, our hard work in support of the industry has paid off! In the near future, while the JDM/Drift scene still fresh, I think the scene will turn into a market standard/lifestyle. Take Honda for example, they’re promoting their new Mugen Civic Si, in which it resembles the new Civic Type-R in Japan. Also, Nissan, FINALLY coming out with their Skyline GT-R R35 in the states. So I think this industry is definitely headed on the right track.
Ben Howard for Tunerzine: Give us some information on what you guys sell. Do you have any specialties that you guys bring to the table, and what parts do N1 Concepts bring exclusively to the US? I saw some mighty “bling bling” brake calipers there, can you tell us some more information about these?
Toma: On the most part, we sell JDM OEM stock replacement parts. From time to time, we receive rare aftermarket parts from companies like Mugen, Spoon, and Cusco. We also sell new products such as brands like Blox, Cusco, and RCrew Racing. Now, we are one of the main U.S. distributors for J’s Racing. HAHA, so you noticed the “bling” calipers, eh? I am glad that you have mentioned them! The calipers are made by APP (Aviation Performance Products) and are well-known in the D1 Grand Prix drift series. These calipers are the FIRST to have Titanium Coating. These babies are currently installed on our famous Yellow N1 K20 Honda Fit. Also, we are proud to announce that we are Exclusive USA distributors for APP. For more information on APP products, check out http://www.app-top.co.jp
Ben Howard for Tunerzine: Wow you are one of the main distributors for J’s Racing in the US now too. How much did business rise when N1 started dealing with APP and J’s Racing? Did you guys have to bring someone in or set aside a current member of your staff to deal with the new parts?
Toma: We found that there isn’t many shops in the US that distribute J’s. So we are honored to be selected as one of them. Our business and popularity has definitely grown since joining then. Actually, the place has been a madhouse! We’ve been getting a lot of inquiries and orders on J’s Racing parts and we’ve been selling out on parts left and right. It’s hard to keep up since we get one container monthly at a time. In order to supply demand, we have to get parts from other shops to sell! HAHA With these changes, we gave each person a specific role, such as eBay, posting on popular online forums like Honda-Tech and NWP4Life, and to promote in different regions of the United States. For example, my role is to handle East Coast and Canada on JDM, J’s/APP products, and other new and used products.
Ben Howard for Tunerzine: Your “.com” online is full of parts and prices, something that you don’t generally see from the importers out there today. How many times do you upload, update, and post pictures of your inventory? How long do your newly shipped parts from new crates last or stay in stock?
Toma: We actually update our website on a weekly basis. For new container items, we update on a monthly basis. On our website, we have a link to our N1 Forums. There, we list down what upcoming parts and quantity are coming. From that point, consumers would call/email/IM/carrier pigeon us to make deposit reserves. Usually, these new container items sell out within a week to two upon arrival.
Ben Howard for Tunerzine: I know you guys are about showing off who you are as a company and promoting yourselves. Nothing wrong with that at all, I say self promotion is one of the best ways to build a strong foundation. But do you guys have any meets, shows, events, races, or gatherings that you are really looking forward to within the next three months that you want to make? Hopefully, we can catch you guys at my annual Eibach meet in Corona!
Toma: We actually do have meets and gatherings at our shop. Last November, we had a “Black Wednesday” selling out on our JDM Parts, especially the Red/Black DC2/DB8/EK9 Recaros. No one else dares to sell them that cheap! In the next three months, we may have another insane sale since we are moving to another local location in mid-2008! So be on the lookout for that… And yes, we might see you guys at Eibach! Um, did someone say, Coronas?
Ben Howard for Tunerzine: Tell us some about some of your project cars you have going at the moment, in build for the future, and projects you are thinking of doing? I saw a white “myth” there that I promised I wouldn’t speak of, are there any new updates on that?
Toma: Project cars? Well, we do have our Time Attack N1 K20 Honda Fit which is, of course, an ongoing project. Currently, we have a drag Honda Fit in the works and with the help of J’s Racing, a Super Taikyu Honda S2000. The white “myth” you say? Well, we can’t disclose any info. But one thing I CAN say, “Got Toyota?”
Ben Howard for Tunerzine: The Fit market is booming! A drag Fit? Wow what is ground breaking. Is there any information that you can share with me on this one, or is it one we will have to hurry to the next meet or race to see?
Toma: Not only ground breaking… it’s EARTH SHATTERING!!!!! In this market standard, the b-segment cars are popping up. So, we decided to do a car that everyone relates to, which is the Honda Fit. Perfect example is our Time Attack Fit. Now we want to be the first to do up a Honda Fit for drag racing. The car is being built right now and won’t be done for awhile but the car has custom fabrication on its chassis. The motor? Well, that’s a secret…hehehehe. But do please keep your eyes on us for 2008.
Ben Howard for Tunerzine: Toma, You have kept in touch with me since the day I came to the shop, very unexpectedly and out of nowhere. I love to go somewhere when people don’t expect me. Still, you have kept contact, helped me out with making sure I have everyone’s information, and you have even whored up my Myspace some. Since the finishing of your CRX, what are your goals for 2008? Gonna make that Japan trip with me in 09???
Toma: Goals for 2008? The CR-X is far from being completed. So that is an ongoing project in its own right. Other goals are to stay focused on the previously mentioned, upcoming projects for the company and to keep in touch with all the great people I have met such as yourself! Japan trip you say? Hell yeah!…I’m down to have a bunch of Sake-Bombs with you!!! It will be a good one!
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