Words by Tim Wong

It has been a while since I visited Mooneyes in Santa Fe Springs, CA, but I still remember it very well. It was a unique and event that made a lasting impression for over a decade. Back in 2013, there was such a unique and odd range of cars that showed up. I remember there was car with a bubble top like from the Jetsons. I was chatting with some friends a little while about and they said they’d never been to Mooneyes and coincidentally, the open house event was coming up plus I wanted to pick up some stuff anyway so it was a perfect time to go.

While it’s a traditional hot rod shop, there’s a unique relationship with Japan. A quick history, Dean Moon, a car designer and hot rodder, started up this shop, Moon Equipment, back in the 60s. He was kind of a big deal and he also was a founding member of Speed Equipment Manufacturers Association….you know, SEMA. When he passed away, in the late 80s, Shige Suganuma, a Moon dealer in Japan and friend of Moon restarted the company as Mooneyes and continues to carry on the legacy.

I tried to get there somewhat early because I remember the event being popular and that there was no parking aside from the street there. Turns out nothing has changed and it was wise to snag some parking early.

The shop van and some others parked up front with the famous Moon Discs. The van on the snap on hubcap version and the Celica on the Dzus Fastened type.

It’s interesting to see that you can put Moon Discs on so many things.

A quick look at the machine shop

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This parked outside to promote the new film Craft of Speed that documents this vehicle and its history.

Mooneyes official pinstriper Hiro “Wildman” Ishii doing some live demos.

Someone drove a boat in.

It was as crazy as the last time I was here, but still a pretty chill vibe at Mooneyes this year. I’ll end with this cool right hand drive C10.