Hello ladies and gents, another Nostalgic Wednesday has cometh. This week I will be throwing up a bit of Nostalgia because our main man Mark Manalo just had a baby, so, if you get a chance, give a shout out to congratulate him on the arrival of a next generation ricer. Now, what do we have in store today for Nostalgic Wednesday? The one, the only, Apexi N1 exhaust. That is right folks, the N1. Im getting a little ricey on this one…although not super old per se, it’s arrival in the late 90s took the ricer community by storm.

Legend.

The Lowdown

Photo Credit-Stance Nation....and damn that exhaust looks great.

It’s angle and loud ass tone made it the exhaust to have if you were in any type of Honda, Mitsubishi, Toyota or Mazda game. Hell, if I wasn’t driving a GS nowadays I would rock it…maybe. I don’t know what it was, maybe the tilt? That crazy ass angle that you got just seemed so right when you were rolling hammered on the ground. Or maybe we were looking for something new at the time versus the convention fart can or classic styles such as the Tanabe Racing Medallion. Who knows and who cares, the N1 was a hit and was WAYYY more affordable than its HKS Hi-Power competitor.

Ahhh..Memories

Like any other uber popular products the Apex N1 also had and still does have it’s share of knock-offs which, when installed incorrectly are pretty damn funny if I’d say so myself. Anyone remember when someone would buy just the muffler off of you local ricer shop and had them install with some EXTREME angle? I know I do, shitty welds (check), incorrect tilt (check), funky ass design (check), for example:

Le Sigh..

Your conventional automotive enthusiast would just sit and stare and wonder what the hell this idea of a crooked ass exhaust was coming from. It came from the notorious N1. When installed in instructed fashion that subtle tilt would give it that fresh, JDM tyte look that everyone wanted. But it, like many other trends got played the hell our by people taking it a bit too far, sad really.

:-(

Oh then there was the Dual N1, twice the fun!

Wah Bam!

Unlike the TE-37’s the Apexi N1 didn’t survive its hype unfortunately, it just became a norm, which, as a manufacturer you would love but as a ricer looking for exclusive look…meh. Though I am sure a shitload are still sold, it just doesnt give that , “Oh damn it’s an Apexi N1” feel anymore. But it did at one time, and that is why it is here on Nostalgic Wednesday.

The fart can cometh, the fart can stayeth

Cheers to loud ass ricer exhausts.

——————-

– JohnP