Mooneyes Yokohama Custom Hot Rod Show 2019: Prep Day Photos

Front view of a custom purple Mercury with pinstriped flames and a chrome grille at an indoor car show.

If you are looking for a Mooneyes Yokohama Custom Hot Rod Show archive, the 2019 prep day was a masterclass in custom car culture.

The first thing that hit me in the cavernous Pacifico Yokohama hall for the Mooneyes Hot Rod Custom Show Prep Day wasn’t the smell of fresh paint or gasoline. It was the sight of a meticulously polished purple Mercury hot rod covered with flames painted all over it.

I came for the colorful, amazing, incredible, and crazy custom cars and bikes, and I got exactly that. In the end, I got my photo gallery.

A Zeitgeist Hot Rod Trike at a car show.

Behind the scenes: Setting up the hot rods

The event was on Sunday, but I got access to the Saturday preparation day. It was interesting watching all the cars and bikes being hauled/pushed/carried into the halls. The exhibitors had only one day to get ready.

First, they brought in the base of the display, which was often red carpet, but some had wood bases, and some had checkerboards.

A 1939 Dodge D11 coupe at Yokohama Hot Rod Show.

Then they pushed the cars in, not drove.

A 1932 Ford Roadster Hot Rod at a car event.

Once everything was in position, they started adding the finishing touches, like lights and props. We saw old Coca-Cola bottles, surfboards, leather jackets, and even 1950s razors!

A man looks at a pink Chevrolet convertible.

In the beginning, the exhibit halls were bare. They didn’t take long to fill up, though. It was a madhouse of activity. As the morning proceeded you could see the exhibition taking shape.

A 1958 Chevrolet Impala hot rod on a concrete floor.

The action was nonstop, and the staff ate as they worked. Without the public, I didn’t have to wait for photographs. I only needed to dodge all the equipment as it was brought in.

Hot rod photography at Pacifico Yokohama

Low light challenges

One issue I had with the event was the lighting. It wasn’t optimal for hot rod photography. To be honest, it was a struggle to shoot the cars. I wish I had taken a light source with me. Boosting ISO was the easiest solution at that time.

But there was a saviour. Re-editing the photos in 2026 with Adobe Lightroom and the advantages of modern post-processing noise reduction made the photos look good.

An engine exposed Ford Model A hot rod at a car show.

Lessons learned: Patience & timing in photography

Looking back, I realize I made some elementary mistakes with my photos. The biggest problem was timing. In many shots, heads, bags, legs, etc., are visible behind cars.

A Grand Blue 1962 Pontiac at a Japanese car show.

They wouldn’t have been if I had waited for them to pass. Maybe I could have moved a little left or right. In my excitement, I snapped wildly.

My verdict: Is the hot rod show worth it?

By the time I left on Saturday evening, the empty halls had transformed into a world-class gallery of chrome and steel. Despite my struggles with the lighting and my own excitement, witnessing the hard work behind the scenes made me appreciate the main event even more.

Sunday was terrific. It was one of the best car events I have ever attended, but those photos will be in another article. This show is an annual event so if you plan to attend it, look at the official Mooneyes website for more information.