At this stage, I’m not sure that there’s anything else I can say about the Juicebox BBQ.
It’s simply one of the finest events I’ve covered anywhere in the world, and is exactly what I believe real car culture to look like. It’s organic; it’s not designed to line someone’s pockets or increase their social media following; it’s welcoming; it’s friendly; and features real world, relatable cars.
Besides all of this, how many car events have you ever attended in your life that cost nothing to attend and the organisers give you free food and drinks as a thank you for coming along? I would imagine it’s a pretty short list.
At its most basic, the Juicebox BBQ is a gathering designed to be an appreciation for all of those who contribute to Irish car culture. It’s an opportunity for those people who might not feel comfortable bringing their cars or projects elsewhere to gather with likeminded folks. Let’s be honest, while there’s certainly an abundance of automotive events these days, not all are equal.
It’s likely because I’m close to many of the Juicebox crew that I feel particularly at home at these meetings. In saying that, I don’t think I’ve ever met a person who didn’t enjoy a good BBQ.
As is often the way with hosting events in Ireland at any time of the year, the weather will have final say on the day. While the rain blowing in from the North Atlantic swirled away for most of the day, it didn’t really have any noticeable affect on spirit or proceedings in general. If you live in Ireland, you’re generally able to cope with the weather.
Perhaps, maybe, the rain served as an extra quality filter? You’ll find that those who show up in these conditions are always the most committed.
I’ve made no secret of my waning passion for car culture over the last couple of years, so I hoped that this would be the spark to reignite things. At the very least, I wanted to spend some time actually enjoying the event, rather than worrying about if I have enough shots or details from owners.
I’ve attended every Juicebox BBQ over the years, but have always worked them. Sure, there are more difficult and intensive jobs out there, but it doesn’t change the fact that when you have your working hat on, that you don’t really get to appreciate an event as much.
While I had a camera with me (just a mirrorless body and a single 50mm lens), I didn’t have the intention of covering the BBQ for anyone but myself. I just wanted to shoot for fun and without the pressure of any deliverables after the event, something I can’t remember doing at any stage over the last decade or more.
When you’re not trying to force the matter, I think you start seeing more. This is pretty obvious in hindsight, but when you’re constantly close to something and in the weeds with it on a daily basis, obvious isn’t really obvious.
Pottering around at my own pace and actually getting to look at and appreciate everything was an absolute joy. Many of these cars have been around for a while now, but you sometimes forget just how special they are. Over-exposure to a good thing will nearly always result in that.
There were a couple of surprises as well, like this 1JZ-powered Toyota Cressida. A stock interior, rough around the edges bodywork but an immaculately-prepared engine bay with some really tidy fabrication work put a smile on a lot of people’s faces.
An increased number of rotaries was welcome, too. This FD3S featured a triple-rotor 20B with a considerably large turbocharger attached to it.
There was some less obvious cars around as well, like this Corolla. These were everywhere on Irish roads for a considerable part of my life, and then they all just disappeared seemingly overnight with the introduction of our National Car Test. What was the epitome of an ordinary car when released – and not an obvious choice for modification – has been made into something that can put a smile on your face.
There was no shortage of Japanese icons either. Ireland is still very much keeping that golden era of late ’90s and early ’00s JDM style alive. While Japan itself has evolved from that era, and the US has created its own similar but different style, I’m grateful to still be able to see these cars like these, today.
This era just strikes the right balance (for me) between style and performance. The cars look good static, but they look even better when sliding around or lighting up the local ring road during the middle of the night.
With that said, it’s really all about the people involved. I’ve always found that my cynicism levels drop at the Juicebox BBQ, and that’s down to the people who attend and who organise this event. There are no egos, no nonsense, no drama, no bullsh*t. What more can you ask for?
At the end of the day, we’re all really just people enthusiasts. Cars just happen to be our chosen medium.
Paddy McGrath
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paddy@speedhunters.com