Tuner Galleria 2026

After the excitement of the Chicago Auto Show, it was hard to imagine how that experience could be topped. Luckily, World of Wheels and Tuner Galleria were just around the corner in March. At the Auto Show, Orlando invited me to park up with him and his club Team Nostalgic at Tuner Galleria. Although I have attended the show as a spectator in the past, it would be nice to hang with people who have displayed cars there for 10+ years. Thanks Orlando!

After the Chicago Auto Show, there was still a fairly long list of needs for the GT-R. I did not like how high the car was sitting, so I changed the tires from 35 series to 30 series 265/30/19. The new tires had a .5 inch lower side profile that also allowed me to lower the car an additional .5 inch for a total 1-inch lowering all around. I used Crown Customs for the tire mounting, and they did a great job. The net result was a tighter, more modern look. I also swapped out the blown Greddy coilovers for the new Ohlins Road and Track coilovers. Underneath, I fitted the front fender liners and a set of OPT7 Aura underglow :LED lights under the car and under the dashboard and door panels inside. This underglow kit was encased in a weatherproof aluminum channel, which made them easy to install and secure. The last items on the list included a custom cooling panel in the nose of the car, some period correct vinyl decals from Xtreme Graphics, the Bee Racing steering wheel and tilt hub, a new driver's seat bottom, replacing the broken lock mechanism on the driver's door, and replacing the missing interior plastic panels. Finally, the car was complete!

Scott helped me transport the car to a park meetup spot with Orlando and his crew. From there, it was an extremely wet drive about a mile down the road to the Donald E. Stevens Convention Center. I was mildly worried about water entering the engine bay though the vents in the hood, but the engine and the coil packs stayed dry, and the car ran well.

The roll in to the show was stressful, mainly because of the ramp of doom. There is a long ramp that leads up to the second floor of the convention center. The organizers make the cars creep up the ramp, which is difficult for cars with racing clutches and manual transmissions. It would be much better to check cars in at the bottom of the ramp and then let them climb the ramp in one move. After raising objections, I was able to get my car up the ramp without too much drama, save for a very loud rotary car next to me.

Although there are a variety of cars in Team Nostalgic, the majority of the members like Toyotas. There was a good selection of AE86 Toyota Corollas, all clean and neatly presented.

After drying my car off, I was able to set up all the signage and display items I brought for my car. I was pleased with how the underglow looked, and the Bee Racing nobori flag helped add a pop of color to my display. I prefer to present the car with the hood down because I think it looks better, but lots of people requested to pop the hood to get a peek of the engine bay.

The employees at Xtreme Graphics brought their lineup of 240s, including Colin's S15, Ashley's Kouki S14, and a couple of S13 coupes. It's always a pleasure to see a strong lineup of S Chassis cars at a show.

There was a good selection of Nissan R32 chassis at the show, including this tasteful black example. I appreciated the JDM-inspired modifications and the clean overall appearance.

This blue/gray R33 also made an impression at the show, sitting on Enkei NT-03s which was a nice wheel choice that matched the car perfectly.

The Top Speed widebody NSX also stood out to me a the show. Red is great NSX color, and the JGTC-inspired look of this car added interest and aggression to the overall look.

This Oldsmobile from the Gridlife team was ready for the track with a Toyota 2JZ swap and a purposeful performance stance.

This black Toyota Chaser sedan from Omega it all the right notes, looking like a cross between drift spec and VIP stance. I was a big fan of this car at the show.

The RC drift club had an amazing track setup at the show, including pit tables and trackside details. Time to stard building a scale B324R that I can drift at car shows!

After 4 years of work, it was nice to receive some recognition for the GT-R. I am honored to accept this award for Best Skyline and so thankful for the help of my Dad, Stanley, and Uncle Jim, as well as the support of Cindy and Clay.

I could hardly believe my name got called for Best Skyline! Winners got to pose with the Tuner Galleria models at the awards ceremony.

Celebrating with the Team Nostalgic crew! Alex also won Best Vintage Toyota for his red AE86 hatch. Well done!

Elliot also took home some hardware for his Honda Del Sol. So nice to celebrate with friends in the Chicago car scene!

It was always a goal of mine to receive recognition for a car build at a judged show like this. There were so many incredible car builds at this show, and it is an honor to stand up with some of the top import vehicles and tuners in the Chicago area. Next, I am going to focus on engine tuning so we can see the true power potential of this RB226 engine this summer.