Before the internet, the best way a company could get information out about its products was through magazine advertising. Ads like those in Super Street or Import Tuner magazines went for $5000 to $7000 per page. About three years ago, after the rise of the internet, Skunk2 really began to question the ROI (return on investment) that we were getting from magazine advertising. We decided to sign up for a service called “Call Source.”Call Source gave Skunk a block of 1-800 numbers that could be used for different ads for each magazine. When a customer responded to a certain ... Read More »

Does Dr. Charles hold the record for the world’s fastest B-series engine swap? According to Wikipedia he does, where it says he cranked out a B16A swap in 30 minutes. Actually, the swap took longer than a half an hour, but he still might hold the title for the fastest one yet. Watch the video for the real story. ... Read More »

Alright, now that you're warmed up reading lots of interesting, warm, fuzzy, and nostalgic blog entries, let me start dipping into more controversial topics. There is one topic, and it’s probably the most controversial, that I have been itching to blog about for several years, but every time I think about starting it my head starts to hurt because, from start to finish, it would probably end up being a 100-page-long blog entry. I don't even think I could dictate everything in 20 hours. Another reason I never discussed the information was because there were pending lawsuits (both civil and ... Read More »

Was Dr. Charles the first to ever swap a K-series engine into a Civic? Could be. If he wasn’t, then whoever was sure kept it a secret. You decide; watch the video, and hear about what just might have been how the first K-series engine swap went down. ... Read More »

My father came down to visit me last week. He was cleaning out my closet in the garage and decided he would bring the stuff over. Check out the nostalgic packaging that has been perfectly preserved for the last 15 years. ... Read More »

He may be the Doctor, but he’s no match for when a hunk of metal lands in his face. Charles visits the doctor…will he return with a pirate patch over his eye? ... Read More »

Before I started Skunk, I was working as an architect both in the USA and also for short stint in Asia. When I was working overseas, I realized that architecture was not as fun as I thought it would be. It seemed like, more often than not, clients were driven by optimizing square footage and not by an interesting design, which meant that almost everything ended up being rectangular. It was while I was working as an architect overseas that I had the opportunity to hang out as an enthusiast at local “tuning shops” every night after work (usually after 9p.m.). It was in these shops that I ... Read More »

When did I start modifying cars? I started when I was about 14-15 years old by helping older friends who just got their first cars. At the time, I tried helping my friend Jesse Yang, but I think I probably did more damage than I did help. After buckets of Bondo, a $300 enamel paint job, and $20 synthetic sheepskin seat covers from Kragen, we successfully transformed Jesse's ugly brown Beetle into an ugly but shiny blue Beetle before crashing it into a curb at 40 mph. If I am the founder of Skunk2, then Jesse earns the title of being the “Godfather” of Skunk2.

The list of ... Read More »

Dr. Charles reflects on Michael Jackson's death and his getting married on the same day. ... Read More »

Here’s a cool video about the impact of globalization, technology, and information. We are living in amazing times! Skunk2 understands the need and importance of actively embracing technology to keep enthusiasts informed and connected worldwide. Instead of being afraid of globalization and technology, Skunk2 is excited about the challenge of using technology to deliver greater value to enthusiasts and to build community worldwide. ... Read More »