Attending car shows is a past time I’ve participated in for most of my life. Absorbing the sights of immaculate and amazingly built machinery is a very sensorial experience and one I still enjoy engaging in to this very day. For every amazing automotive show I’ve attended, there’s been an equal amount of shows which left me unsatisfied; especially those that had a door fee as let’s face it, if you’re paying to attend a car show – as a spectator – you’d expect to get your money’s worth.

It’s been an interesting journey attending car shows (particularly those centred around modified vehicles) for the better part of 17 years. Although vehicle and modification choices have varied throughout time, the essence of automotive showcases have remained constant – and that is to provide a space for enthusiasts to show off their rides and allow an opportunity for spectators to admire said rides.

Australia’s current modified car scene is in a considerably different place (a natural occurrence of course) relative to its pre-2010 self. I specifically mention 2010, as from this decade forward, we’ve entered what I dub as the ‘third wave’ of modified car enthusiasts. I’ll keep my ramblings about this concept in a future post but essentially, third wave enthusiasts are those who jumped into the modified car scene between 2010 and present. Why does this matter? Perspective. Vehicles choices, ingredients to modify one’s ride, knowledge channels, platform for sources of inspiration, and other elements of modified car culture have witnessed quite a transformation over the last decade. Outlets for vehicle display is one component that has seen a debasement. In short, the last decade hasn’t been an inspiring time for Australia’s tuner-car show scene. However, prior to 2010, things were different. Modified car shows such as Auto Salon were in full swing – inspiring and motivating high quality show-car builds throughout every major capital city within Australia. This subject is dear to my heart and I’ve previously wrote about such thoughts here, here and here.

One particular Melbourne-based themed car club (a concept quite foreign in 2019 but was standard affair during the Auto Salon era) present during the height of that generation was Agentz; which was founded in 2003. The club was regularly represented at Auto Salon and similar shows throughout Australia, with one of its members – Raymond Christophorus – still holding a strong passion for modified cars today. Inspired by the larger Japanese and American events, as well as recollecting how the shows of yesteryear created an atmosphere and aura inside a venue that had entrants and spectators dropping their jaws at the vehicles on display and leaving attendees with a euphoric high long after the event’s conclusion, Raymond wanted to create a car show for enthusiasts to experience these emotions again. Since 2017, Sydney has been blessed with such outlet in the form of Hot Import Nights but Melbourne hasn’t been as fortunate. This all changed in July 2019 when Raymond brought the Melbourne modified car scene an antidote it desperately longed for. Welcome to the inaugural Black Label Invitational – a carefully curated car show exhibiting nothing but Melbourne’s best modified cars.

From Black Label’s early announcements, I knew it’d be a show worth checking out. But when I learnt that Raymond Christophorus was the brains behind it all, a commitment to fly up from Adelaide was solidified.

Black Label Invitational 2019 was a sensory overload for modified car enthusiasts, with high quality vehicles – Japanese heroes, stance, VIP, Euros and more – lined up row after row within the Melbourne Showgrounds’ Exhibition Pavilion. It’s been a while since I’ve experienced a modified car show in Australia that left me feeling exuberant as there was just so much to soak in. Thus, I’ll be sharing my Black Label experience here on Skibeemo in a mini-three part series as I’d be condensing too much if I attempted to pack the entire experience in one post. I hope you enjoy the collection.

My day commenced at a fresh 8am as Raymond was kind enough to allow me into the Exhibition Pavilion before the event’s official 10:30am kick off. Roll in was well underway, with entrants manoeuvring into their designated parking spaces thanks to the hand gestures of high-vis dressed staff.

While this was occurring, I felt the intensity of a certain Voltex-kitted S2000 parked nearby.

Making its public debut at Black Label Invitational, Jett Leow’s red S2000 was wearing Voltex’s latest Circuit Version 3 aero package. This body kit was first unveiled at SEMA in October 2018 and with only a handful manufactured thus far, it was surreal to observe that the lavishly priced aero parts had already made their way onto a locally owned S2000 in Australia.

I’m affirmative that most (including myself) have experienced the below. You know, that scenario where the entire squad is required for moral support to apply a single decal. In this case, extra assistance was on hand when the Project Yume (Jett’s S2000 project name) decal was applied onto the Voltex-dressed Honda’s door.

Jett’s car was seated as part of the larger Nakama display, a Victorian-based car club turned workshop. Focused on circuit racing with a love affair for the Honda S2000 (amongst other vehicles), Nakama have built a reputation for preparing some of Australia’s most aesthetically pleasing S2000s.

Nakama’s founder – Vu Quach – is also the owner and operator of DT Panels, a family-owned paint shop situated in Clayton. DT Panels have been responsible for spraying the hue on some of Melbourne’s best modified vehicles. An amazing diorama of the combined DT Panels and Nakama workshop was built and conviviality displayed on the roof of a member’s S2000.

Agentz is one of the few remaining themed car clubs from the ‘second wave’ of enthusiasts in Australia. It’s great to see the decal floating around all these years later, with Raymond even having his own personal E90 M3 – sat on classy gold faced BBS LM-R wheels – entered into the show. Deshan Silva’s freshly sprayed Verde Draco S2000 and a classic A60 Supra rounded up Agentz’s trio appearance.

There were a couple of interstate cars in attendance to support Black Label’s vision. Amongst them were Chook Tran’s twin-turbocharged Rocket Bunny Z33 and Jake Markuse’s Infrared Metallic Evo 9. Both cars from Sydney, both cars kissing the pavement thanks to air suspension, both cars causing those strolling by to involuntarily open and lower their jaws.

Alfa Rein was also a representative from Sydney. His F80 M3 looked stunning thanks to some Japanese AME Shallen VMX wheels.

It was at this point when I heard the vocal acoustics of a straight-through boxer. My ears initially dismissed it for a WRX, but the tone got more distinct as the questioned car rolled in closer. After turning my head to catch what it was, I realised Aaden Hughes had just entered the room. My eyes and mouth were wide open attempting to decipher how his 86 was actually in motion.

Once parked up, I made my way over to soak in Aaden’s maniacal 86. A cliché phrase to use, but if I had to express it only once throughout my entire Black Label chronicles, Aaden’s turbo-charged 86 is definitely a car that must be seen in the flesh to be truly appreciated.

Side-exit exhaust, hood-exit screamer pipe, wide body, Bride bucket seats and a half cage were some of the assiduously executed items found on this black Toyota. However, the aura of this car has to be Aayden’s approach to stance; the suspension is not aided by any compressors or air tanks.

Speaking of static suspension, Cameron Middlemast’s Lexus could also be found within the Exhibition Pavilion. I recall seeing this teal LS400 in Sydney last year at WTAC, reasoning with myself that it surely had to be bagged. When WTAC ended and I found myself on the Western Motorway – cruising back to my hotel at the posted 100km/h speed limit – I spotted LOLWHY in front of me, tail lights dancing away in disco mode. It was rolling along at the same ground-pecking height as when it was at the show, affirming to my disbelief that the LS was indeed seated on static suspension.

It was cool to see Cameron’s LS again, this time in Victoria and with a newly installed Aimgain body kit and Weds Kranze Bazreia wheels.

RWB cars require no introduction. Charles Santoso is the man responsible for flying Nakai-san over from Japan to cut up his 993 Porsche. This was the second ever RWB build in Australia and was given the name ‘Chigiri’ which translates to promise.

One of my favorite cars of all time is Keiichi Tsuchiya’s personal Gunsai Touge Hachi-Roku. Tsuchiya-san’s approach to tuning his AE86 is inspirational, holding a burning desire till this very day (the Trueno has been in his possession for decades) to still consistently refine it to become the best street car that it can be. Emanuel’s journey with his panda AE86 is also inspirational, as his Hachi was used as a fortress to shield him from the challenging realities of cancer which he was diagnosed with in 2012. He’s since defeated the big c, and emerged with a flawless AE86 which pays homage to Tsuchiya-san’s car. Emanuel’s story and the overall execution of his gleaming Hachi-Roku (which also bears the Drift King’s signature jade-tinted carbon bonnet) made it one of my favourite cars at Black Label Invitational.

There were a number of amazingly presented 80’s Japanese hero cars sprinkled throughout the venue.

On The Run Motorsports has been in the business for over 10 years, supplying juicy ingredients to Victorians (and the rest of the country) looking to enhance their rides. The OTR Motorsports’ stall had an assortment of different vehicle types displayed, showcasing the various platforms and styles they cater for.

As OTR is a supplier of J’s Racing products, they fittingly had a J’s themed S2000 showcased at their booth.

OTR is also a distributor for Rays Engineering. Although considered sacrilegious by some, I’m a big fan of seeing Japanese aftermarket parts installed on high end euro cars. Case in point is Kam Aghtan’s 997 GT3, which features fixed Bride bucket seats and Volk TE37 wheels. The last time I saw Kam and his silver Porsche was when he was in Adelaide attacking The Bend circuit; this time around it was cool to appreciate the GT3 in a totally contrasted setting.

It was at this point that I decided to venture outside the Exhibition Hall to find a caffeine dealer, but not before passing a pair of white GT-Rs which were lining up for staging.

Once outside and attempting to suppress the sub 10 degrees Celsius temperature, I observed the multi lane bump-in line. The queue was made up of incredible high-quality vehicles and was a surreal sight to behold. Amongst the cars in line were the boys (and girl) from The Right Wrong crew. In the next post as part of my Black Label Invitational report, I’ll detail the contents of what my DSLR captured as I re-entered the Exhibition Hall.