Treasure trove from the aftermarket
The future has a way of arriving unannounced. In the automotive industry it has often been the case that a particular part is already widely used even before one can get to fit it on his car.
Because original equipment manufacturers, where the stock parts of our cars come from, have to walk the line of acceptability and conformity in making auto parts for mass-produced vehicles, it is not typically expected to come out with a technology likely to push the industry standard.
Original equipment manufacturers set the world standard, but it is from a segment of the industry called the aftermarket where the idea that has since become the standard originates.
Composed of a small network of auto parts manufacturers, the aftermarket industry is primarily intended to provide replacement parts for OEM auto parts. It is not unusual that OEM eclipses the aftermarket in resources, but the aftermarket has played an integral role in shaping the sport compact market across the globe as much as the OEM.
From the first aftermarket turbo kit designed for passenger cars to the conception of carbon-fiber hoods on sport compacts, the aftermarket segment of the industry has led the way in pioneering many of the parts we use at the track or showcase at events on our vehicles today.
Following is some of the more prominent aftermarket products that have since become must-haves for every car. It is interesting to note that most, if not all, of these aftermarket auto parts have an OEM counterpart.
Turbo Kits
It’s been 33 years since the first aftermarket turbo kit was introduced. Now, car owners are engulfed with hundreds of aftermarket companies selling turbo kits. Many of which owe a debt of gratitude to the men of Japan who kick-started the movement. In 1974 Hiroyuki Hasegawa, founder of afternarket parts manufacturer HKS Japan, was accredited with designing and building the first aftermarket turbocharger for passenger cars.
The aftermarket turbo kit was first used on an L20B engine of the 240Z, and proved to be a ground breaking movement among the automotive performance world. While HKS was the first to design and build an aftermarket turbo kit, it was GReddy Japan who brought to the market the very first 50-state legal turbo kit for the ‘92-95 Honda Civic.
With the US government imposing strict emissions rules, GReddy played it smart by offering an aftermarket kit that consumers could install without the fear of being pulled over.
Reclineable Seats and Racing Harnesses
While aftermarket reclineable and bucket seats continually flood the aftermarket scene, BRIDE of Japan has continued to show a strong presence in the land of the rising run for over a decade. The BRIX reclinable model, the first seat developed through BRIDE, has proven to be popular among Japanese circuit racing competitors, while the more average street enthusiasts were found cruising the streets of Japan in their daily drivers using the same seats.
Takata harnesses, renowned for its bright green coloring, have been a staple aftermarket product within the motor sports world throughout much of Japan. Manufactured with strict FIA regulations, the Takata 4-point and 5-point harnesses have protected drivers in even the most strenuous conditions such as the GT 300 and 500 Championship series. While US guidelines only approve of SFI certifications on both seats and seatbelt harnesses, U.S. residents and JDM enthusiasts don’t seem to mind this minor setback as both seats and harnesses have been on a solid sales incline over the past few years.
Body Kits
Veilside was one of the first aftermarket body kits sold in the US to catch the attention of mainland car owners—well before the whole F&F craze took to the big screen. Introduced in the early ’90s, Veilside quickly gained popularity among Supra and RX7 (FD3S) owners as a new radical concept in body design.
Veilside and companies like Mugen spawned the dawn of a new era in body kits as US manufacturers took notice and began designing their own kits while others took the simpler path and began gray marketing the more popular Japan-made body kits to much dismay.