Island Style Lexus GX470

Text by Wooley Photos by Brian McGee

(From Issue 53) Everyday we get out of bed & test our character. Everyday is an opportunity to prove what we stand for. Something bigger than just another a daily commute to a superficial desk job.

See – it’s not like that for everyone. Unfortunately for a lot of people out there, they monotonously get out of bed everyday – motivated by fear. Motivated by fear of career loss. Fear of financial turmoil. Fear of stepping out of line. And fear of the overall unknown.

But for us – we make the choice NOT to let that happen. We’re led by some sort of driven passion. A need to define ourselves. Exercise ourselves… physically, mentally, and spiritually. To find perspective. To feel that energy that comes from following your True North. You with me?

That’s why we explore. That’s why we test the boundaries & push the limits. And for a lot of us, true car culture is honestly just an outward expression of our internal strength, discipline, persistence, and creativity. I’m not talking about the SEMA showboat stuff. Or tinted tail lights on leased Mercedes. I’m talking about true garage culture. We’re put in work… to build something… that says something. Something that defies compliance & mediocrity. The rat race pressures us to stay with the herd. Laziness pressures us to take the path of least resistance. But we say no, nay, non, nein, bango… naaaah brah.

Brian McGee is an automotive photographer. He shoots a lot for S3, amongst others. And he convinced himself that he needed an off-road vehicle to get to off-road photoshoots. Things escalated quickly. Brian bought this GX 470 with a blown engine – sight unseen. He had the car towed straight to a friend’s shop. And he had an engine shipped in at the same time. The car was running happily within a few days… without so much as a CEL light on the dash.