Sometimes we reach-out to friends and fellow enthusiasts to spotlight their badass builds. This time, I hit up my buddy Johnny Huynh – aka Jolly – about his Toyota JZX90. If you’re anywhere near automotive Instagram, you probably know him as @jollytsunami, the energetic, camera-toting, chaos-gremlin who’s either drifting something, filming something, or laughing at something.
Let’s go back to 2018…
I was the general manager at a friend’s small shop – when in walks this super-energetic dude holding a camera. The smile never left his face. He said a mutual friend sent him & told him, “Go ask for Saddlebrook – he’s the only one who can get your 370Z driving straight.” Strong words, but fair.
Johnny asked if he could take photos & film while I worked…
I said, “Sure, why not… just be sure to get my good angles” lol. As I dug into the 370Z, I found what nobody else had: He’d been in an accident, and the suspension damage had not been fixed correctly. That was the reason no one could align it. Still, I got that thing arrow-straight. And in the process, a great friendship was born.
A few months later, Jolly popped-up at Hoonigan…
Becoming one of their main ‘shredditors’. Watching Jolly hit his stride was wild. That 370Z turned into a bonafide drift weapon. But even then, it wasn’t the Z that really caught my heart. It was Jolly’s JZX90. At the time, it was an autotragic boat of a Toyota Mark II. But the bones were there. And I knew exactly where this was going. So let the games begin.
Johnny dove into his Mark II Toyota JZX90 the same way he does everything in life:
Enthusiastically & chaotically. And – correcting 3 things for every 1 thing he upgraded. The JZX90 needed love, and he poured it on like syrup on a Waffle House waffle. New cam seals, along with a JZX100 Koyorad upgrade, a fresh water pump, and massive electric fans get the cooling straight. Jolly also threw on an Apexi USA intake for that signature 1JZ chatter.
The automatic had to go…
So Jolly swapped an R154 manual through Rival Auto Works. It was done to OEM standards, with real Toyota parts. Johnny may lean into chaos, but when it comes to his cars, he does things correctly… mostly.
At this time, Hoonigan still felt like classic Hoonigan…
Which meant one thing: Heavy peer-pressure disguised as encouragement. Hert especially – my brother in boost and bad decisions – scumbagged Johnny into even more mods. At one point the JZX90 sat on polished Gram Lights 57DRs and honestly… it looked damn good. Don’t-change-anything good.
But Johnny changed everything anyway…
Fresh bushings, BC coilovers, a GReddy intercooler so big it could double as a windsail, SerialNine knuckles… and WORK VS wheels with more lip than Kylie Jenner. Jolly also secured a Car Modify Wonder kit straight from Japan.
Jolly’s JZX90 was progressing, evolving, and becoming something special…
Something with presence. And something that represented the early-2000s Japanese street energy – where chrome, color, and aggression lived in harmony. And then came the transformation that tied it all together. Vinny Anatra linked-up Stek USA, Aero Werks, and Johnny’s girlfriend (Jackie) to surprise Jolly with the finishing-touches the car so desperately needed. The body kit still wasn’t painted, so they decided – collectively – to intervene & make this man’s car one color again. The crew detailed it, corrected the panels, smoothed the rough edges, and wrapped the entire thing in STEK DynoShield PPF. Then came subtle tint on the lights, proper tint on the windows. And just like that, the JZX90 went from “nearly there” to finished. Well – finished-but-never-really-finished in that eternal project-car way we all know too well.
Clean. Cohesive. Aggressive. And full of delicious turbo noises…
This JZX90 isn’t just a build – it’s a reflection of the guy behind it. See, Johnny is one of those rare people who walks into a room and immediately lifts the mood 10-fold. He’s always smiling, always hyped, always encouraging, and genuinely always happy to see you succeed. A humble breath of fresh air in a world where car culture rewards ego & over-exaggeration. Jolly celebrates everyone’s wins, big or small. He’s the type of guy who can walk into a room full of strangers, and walk out with 10 new friends and 2 new inside jokes.
His JZX90 carries that same energy…
It’s bold without being obnoxious. Stylish without being pretentious. And built with personality… not ego. It’s fun, approachable, and expressive. The kind of car that makes you smile before the engine even starts – just like Johnny does when he walks in a room.
Some people build cars as status symbols…
Some build cars for content. And some build them for trophies. Johnny built this JZX as an extension of himself: A little wild, a little flashy, a little weird, and a lotta heart. And – always ready to make someone’s day. In a world full of over-serious car builders & clout-chasing nonsense, Johnny T’s Toyota JZX90 stands out for one simple reason: It feels real. Just like the guy behind it.
Article by David Saddlebrook Windsor
Photos by @jollytsunami
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