Mario Buendia's 2010 Scion xB SEMA Showcar is Real World Commuter
- 27 Jan 2011
As in so many other automotive endeavors, skills such building custom cars, are often handed down from one family member and generation to the next. "My family has been building cars for a long time - it runs in my blood," said Buendia. "I started building cars the moment I bought a car which was my Honda." Before building the 2010 Scion xB that Buendia displayed at SEMA, he built a 1998 Honda Accord with 20 inch wheel, including a complete custom autosound system. And before that he had a 2007 Scion tC with a custom built fiberglass sub-woofer enclosure, suede interior, TRD suspension and exhaust, 18 inch HP Lighting wheels, a K&N intake, and a very custom Supermario hood. Buendia's inspiration for the cars he builds is the people around him. We have to suspect that's because the people around him are into custom cars. What makes Buendia's Scion xB showcar unique is that it's not only eye-candy, it's a real world commuter. "When not at shows it's my daily driver. I Drive 61 miles to work every day so, I drive my car 122 miles daily." Buendia works at Vertical Doors, Inc. in Corona, California, which is where he did the work on the Scion's vertical doors. Buendia explains that the process for his getting the Scion to the SEMA show was extremely long and stress laden. "First we got the K&N intake installed, next was the Air-Ride, next the upholstery, and finally it was the fiberglass custom (sound) enclosure." Buendia's explains that he uses K&N air and oil filters and went with the K&N high-flow intake system simply because "I wanted the best performance for my car." He's been using K&N products exclusively since 2007. His tip for up-and-coming car builders is just as straightforward, "Be open to negative feedback." It was Buendia's deep appreciation for Scions that brought him to the car club, Revoluscion CC. "Revoluscion CC is a family with the same goal in mind," remarks Buendia. "We have been meeting in downtown Los Angeles since ‘07. Our main goal is to build nice looking cars while still having fun." Buendia says his goal for next year is to return to SEMA and to place in all the major shows. "The sky is the limit," adds Buendia. Find K&N products for your vehicle using the K&N application search then use the K&N dealer search to find a K&N dealer in your part of the world. |
