Our Story
How an island boy’s dreams came true
Hawai’i Grown
Owner & Master Fabricator Aaron grew up in Hawai’i. He dreamed of someday including his work in top car shows and working on a race team. Meanwhile, he stayed in school, worked at an auto repair shop after class, and got his ASE certifications. After finishing his education, he moved to LA to pursue his dreams.
Clean, Precise Builds
He started out small and did clean, precise work. Word got around. People began to notice.
Design Prodigy
Within 3 years, Aaron’s work was being featured in DSport, Top Sport, Motortrend, Super Street, and other top performance magazines. He quickly became known as a design & fabricating prodigy.
Women at Work
Doing magazine photo shoots meant a shift in work conditions. “I was used to seeing import models in calendars and magazines,” Aaron says. “But as I did more and more builds, the models started showing up in real life.”
Performance Elite
Within 6 years, Aaron’s diligence had earned him a spot in the ranks of the performance elite. He fabricated on team projects that won SEMA awards 3 years in a row, including “Best in Show” and “Best Asian Import”. One of his dreams had come true.
Race builds
He was later invited to join a build team for professional race cars.
Race team
Then things got even more fun. Aaron was invited to travel and work trackside as a race technician on a professional drift race team. His second dream had come true!
Speedway troubleshooting
He quickly discovered that races weren’t all about adrenaline, import models, and glory. “The drivers were paid to push those cars to their limits,” Aaron says. “You never knew when something was going to break.”
What’s Plan B?
Things didn’t always go as the way they were supposed to. “You’d be surprised,” Aaron says, “at how far zip ties will get you in a pinch.”
Speedy turnaround
Trackside, the team had to work quickly. “Sometimes, you only had a few moments to figure out the problem and fix it before the driver had to go another round.”
Motor swaps
One season, the team had to swap out motors three different times.
Waiting for Results
They weren’t sure the last motor would hold. Luckily, it did.
Teamwork
One of the best things about being on the race team was having a chance to test and develop his performance and race build skills. The other was being able to work with a great team.
Podium Time
The driver’s podium time didn’t hurt either.
Champagne
“The only downside of podium time,” Aaron says, “is that afterward, the drivers spray each other and their teams with champagne, and you go home with sticky hair.”
Champagne Spray
Aaron wipes champagne from his eyes as the team celebrates a win.
Trackside Laundromat
Aaron squeezes champagne out of his shirt after another win.
Team-Building
On the road and in between races, the team enjoyed some down time together, too. “Breakfast was usually at McDonald’s,” Aaron says. “Our race car driver was the healthiest eater out of all of us.”
R&D Management
When he wasn’t at the track, Aaron led the R&D team at a top performance & race company in LA, where he fabricated prototypes for mass production. He designed turbo kits, titanium exhaust systems, intercooler kits, intake systems, and automotive accessories.
Yearning for Home
After achieving artistic success & garnering critical acclaim, Aaron began missing the Aloha Spirit of home.
“LA is a very fast world,” he says. “Everything’s there for a moment, and then it’s on to your next big thing. I missed the island culture and the way people in Hawai’i take care of each other.”
Cali Water
Aaron missed paddling out into the water without a wetsuit. Even on the warmest days, the water still felt cold to him.
2018: Coming Home
In 2018, Aaron moved home to O’ahu and opened Precision Fabrication Hawaii. Nowadays, he enjoys helping clients build their own dream projects. When he’s not at the shop, you’ll find him in the water on the westside. He smiles as he says, “It’s really nice to be home.”