Joshua Zafra - 2004 Infiniti G35
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IG - @jdm.projeks
“Build to express, not impress.”
— Joshua Zafra
Some people build cars for trophies.
Some build for clout.
Some build for attention.
Joshua Zafra builds for something deeper.
Promise. Pride. Family.
Because for him, cars were never just machines.
They were freedom.
Where It All Started — Before the Cars
Joshua’s story doesn’t begin in a garage.
It begins on a small island in the Pacific.
Born and raised on Guam, life wasn’t always easy — and transportation wasn’t guaranteed.
When he was just ten years old, his mother got seriously sick on a Sunday afternoon. No buses. No rides. No options.
So they hitchhiked.
For two hours.
Eventually, a village garbage collector stopped to help — driving an old 1983 Toyota pickup. But the cab was full.
So they rode in the bed.
In trash.
Flies.
Maggots.
Debris.
For an hour.
When they finally reached the hospital, staff almost refused to admit them because of the smell.
That moment stuck with him forever.
“Once we move to the States… we will NEVER have a ride problem again.”
That wasn’t a wish.
It was a vow.
Fast Forward — A Different Life, A Different Mindset
Joshua moved to America at 14 chasing opportunity.
Today, at 35, he owns and operates his own shop:
Creative Customs AutoSport LLC
What started as survival became skill.
What started as necessity became passion.
And now?
He owns eleven cars.
Not because he needs them.
Because he promised himself he’d never feel helpless like that again.
The Builder Mentality
Like many of us, pop culture helped light the fire.
2 Fast 2 Furious.
The tuner scene.
Late nights.
Modified cars with personality.
But for Joshua, cars weren’t just cool — they represented control over your life.
If you can build it…
You own it.
You depend on no one.
And that philosophy shapes every project he touches.
Building for Something Bigger Than Himself
Joshua is a Mitsubishi guy at heart — Evo Xs and DSM heritage.
So the Infiniti G35?
It wasn’t planned.
It was an opportunity.
A $1,500 bone-stock deal he couldn’t pass up.
But once he brought it home, it became something else entirely.
Not just another project.
Not another flip.
Not another daily.
This one had meaning.
He built it for his 4-year-old daughter, Jenivier.
Her initials sit proudly on the hood and trunk.
Because one day, when she grows up, he wants her to understand:
You can build something with your own two hands.
And that pride? Nobody can take it from you.
That’s legacy.
A Different Kind of Widebody
Joshua didn’t want just another slammed G.
Didn’t want excessive camber or “copy-paste” aero.
He wanted something that screamed:
This is mine.
So he and his mentor, Bill Foster, sat down and sketched ideas.
Not trends.
Not what Instagram liked.
What felt right.
The result?
A true one-of-one custom widebody, hand-shaped and vented with intention.
Balanced. Functional. Aggressive without being cartoonish.
Even the fuel door was redesigned to match the vented theme — a tiny detail most people wouldn’t think about.
But that’s the difference between:
Bolting parts on
vs
Designing a car
The Paint That Stops Traffic
Then came the wildest touch.
House of Kolor custom peach.
Infused with KP glow-in-the-dark pigment.
Yeah.
You read that right.
By day — clean, warm, metallic peach.
By night — it literally glows.
Not flashy.
Not gimmicky.
Just subtle enough to make people do a double take.
Like:
“…wait… is that glowing?”
Exactly the reaction he wanted.
Built by Hand, Guided by Mentorship
One thing I respect most about Joshua’s process?
He doesn’t pretend to know everything.
He learns.
He listens.
He builds.
Working alongside mentor Bill Foster, Joshua handled fabrication and installs, while Bill refined body lines and prepped everything to perfection before paint.
That old-school mentor/apprentice dynamic?
Rare these days.
But it shows in the craftsmanship.
Every panel flows.
Every line feels intentional.
Nothing looks rushed.
How It Feels to Drive
Ask Joshua what it feels like behind the wheel, and he smiles.
Because for him, it’s not just horsepower or stance.
It’s pride.
It’s remembering the journey.
It’s seeing people stop and ask questions.
It’s knowing his daughter will grow up seeing her dad create, not just consume.
That’s what this car really represents.
Not a build.
A message.
BUILD SPECS — INFINITI G35
Engine / Drivetrain
- EXEDY Stage 2 clutch
- Lightweight flywheel
- Custom straight pipe exhaust
Suspension
- Full AirLift air suspension + management
- SPC camber arms
Wheels / Tires
- Three-piece Fabulous Profound wheels
- 19x12.5 front / 19x15 rear
- Custom Polynesian tribal faces
Interior
- BRAUM diamond stitched seats
- BRAUM harnesses + brackets
- Custom diamond-stitched carpet & trims
- Sparco steering wheel
- Custom floral dash & console design
Audio
- Rockford Fosgate speakers
Exterior
- House of Kolor custom peach paint
- Glow-in-the-dark pigment
- One-off custom widebody
- VIS carbon hood & trunk with Polynesian art
- APR carbon splitter
- Carbon grille & diffuser
- Battle Aero chassis wing
- Spec-D headlights
- Zakustech rear louvers
Build Team
- Wrap/finish: Strategic Wraps
- Trunk & interior fabrication: Diosa Motorsports
- Lighting: Arctic Worx
- Mentor: Bill Foster
What’s Next
- Brembo brakes
- Two-piece rotors
- Engine bay clean-up
(Because builders never really stop.)
Community
Joshua rides with @customotive.crew — a group built around originality, creativity, and pushing each other to be better.
But more than anything?
He’s building for family.
For legacy.
For expression.
Final Thoughts
Some builds impress.
Some builds express.
Joshua’s?
It tells a story.
From riding in the back of a trash truck…
To owning eleven cars…
To building a glow-in-the-dark widebody for his daughter.
That’s not flex culture.
That’s growth.
That’s heart.
That’s what car culture is supposed to be.
Dream Cars
Nissan S15 or R34 GT-R