RJ De Vera - Brand Engineer

When I found out this issue was going to cover both import and domestic rides, I knew immediately who to profile for the Egos column. RJ De Vera has helped change the tuning game through various projects he's been involved with. RJ has worked on and developed many types of vehicles for different applications and has crossed the boundaries of both import and domestic proving that open minded car enthusiasts can successfully "think outside of the box" in their approach to create some seriously cool cars.

Many who have followed the growth of sport compact culture and the industry in general, are already very familiar with RJ and have seen his work for over a decade now (it's hard to imagine that it's been ten years plus as RJ still gets carded for buying energy drinks at his local 7-11 and unlike myself, could blend in at any high school prom the lucky bastard). For those who aren't familiar with RJ, then prepare to read a story about a guy who's just living the dream and doing his thing.

RJ’s fascination with cars goes back to before he was even 15 when he was already buying up parts for a car he didn't yet have. In fact, his obsession became so consuming that in order to keep things kosher with his mom, he had to start a mail order part’s business from her house. “I was selling Akimoto intakes, AutoPower roll cage’s and crazy 6” exhaust tips out of my mom’s house just so I could justify all the money and time I was spending on building cars”.

RJ’s first car build to gain some real recognition was a ’93 GSR which was built from top to bottom. He was the first entrant into the first Import Showoff event series before it even launched. As RJ’s passion for car building grew, so did his experience. While attending UCLA for Mechanical Engineering, RJ began working as a sales rep for DPR Racing and getting more hard core in his builds moving from simple bolt on accessories to supplying parts to full build motors.

It was around that time that RJ was approached by Matt Pearson, the original Editor of Super Street magazine.  Matt was so impressed with RJ’s work and pioneering efforts that he asked RJ to cover a Tokyo Auto Salon for him. “Matt was like, hey you’re going anyway, why not take a camera and some film and shoot it for me. If it turns out…great.  If not, who cares” RJ told me.   Suffice to say RJ’s first trip to TAS blew his mind. “That first time I went to TAS was amazing” he said, “it showed me that there was so much more that could be done in tuning. It really opened my eyes to new possibilities.”  RJ and his boys of Kosoku Racing were doing something right as they were the team behind a bright yellow DA Integra that was the first car to grace the cover of Super Street’s premier issue.

It didn’t take long for commercial business folk to take notice of RJ and his efforts. He was soon working for American Racing and helped to create the Motegi Racing wheel line. He ended up with a spin off signature line, RO_JA which was very successful. “I was having a great time working on things that I was so passionate about” he stated.  Around this same time, a little movie called The Fast and the Furious was in the works. One that RJ not only acted as a consultant on but also appeared in. “I worked with Craig Lieberman as a consultant on F&F. It was funny because we would tell them all these things about street racing and tuning culture and they would kind of half listen. In the end I guess they had to make things more digestible to appease people other than just tuners. It was a movie after all… it’s funny that no one really cared when we were making the movie, but as soon as it became a big hit – everybody had something to say.” he pointed out.

After the huge success of F&F, corporate America was frothing at the mouth and trying to figure out how they too could get a piece of this new youth automotive movement. As a result, not only has RJ had his own show called “Trick it Out” that ran for two seasons on MTV, but he has worked closely with Honda on developing their Optional Equipment division, Pepsi in building sick sweepstakes cars and Valvoline in developing the Drifting 101 DVD which was a smash with kids wanting to get the inside scoop on an up and coming motorsport called drifting. This past summer he also toured with Valvoline and their “Dyno Challenge” which showed up at NightShift events around the country.

As for the issue of domestics vs. imports, RJ had this to say; “When I first started styling cars I was against working on domestics but that changed with time. The Valvoline Mustang we built (for 2008) represented the best of both worlds.  It was an American car with both Japanese and US parts on it.  It wasn’t about one or the other.  It was about the right part to do the job required.  As I get older, I realize that to be truly innovative and creative, one must keep an open mind and be receptive to all ideas. “

RJ already has a lot on his plate as he moves into 09.  He’s looking at stepping out of the spotlight to focus on building more of an agency style team that offers companies brand solutions for challenging times.  “Looking forward, I’m hoping to be able to apply all of the experience I’ve gained in the automotive industry and maybe apply it in other areas” he confessed.  “I’m not going to limit myself to any one thing.  It’s been my flexibility and creativity that has got me this far.  Why change that?”