Forbes Town Road Sunday Car Meets in BGC Manila

On the last day staying in an Airbnb in Bonifacio Global City (BGC) in Manila, Philippines, I went out in the early morning to pick up some breakfast for the family. I noticed some performance cars starting to congregate in Burgos Circle near us. So, I grabbed my camera and took some photos before I had to quickly scurry off to finish packing and catch our flight home.

Normally there is no parking in this area, however vehicles are free to park here on Sundays. I later learned that many sports car owners gather here, but mostly on Forbes Town Road every Sunday to show off their cars.

This was a stark contrast from the vehicles I had typically seen throughout my time in the Philippines. Throughout my three weeks in different parts of the Philippines, I encountered all kinds of vehicles but nothing that would be considered an enthusiast car. It was refreshing to finally see these cars show up on the road. It just goes to show that no matter where you are in the world, there are always automotive enthusiasts just like you.

My favorite vehicle at the meet was this Datsun 240Z that sat parked apart from the rest of the pack.

I reached out to Jeiven Perez, the shop owner at Sushi Machine Garage, who maintains the 240Z. He told me that the owner Paolo brought the car to the shop in 2014 and they built the car from the ground up until it left the shop in 2015.

This Datsun is an early model 240Z, built in 1969. The engine had to be replaced because the head and crank were unsalvageable. The engine was changed out for an L24 engine with a Holley carburetor.

The rest of the is left mostly stock except for the coilovers, custom-fabricated fiberglass seats, air dam and fender flares, and a custom-made wing made from scratch.

Jeiven says the car is far from finished, however they continue to maintain the car for its owner. If you’re interested in seeing photos of the car’s process, check out the photo album for this 240Z on their Facebook page. The progress they’ve made in a year is impressive and I think this is one of the best looking 240Z’s I’ve ever come across.