EDIT BY BEN: Patrick has written a 3 part feature on Dare to be Different so this weekend will now become Dare to be Different Weekend over at The Real JDM Blog. Check out the three parts as it begins to all make perfect sense…

I like vanilla ice cream. It’s usually a pretty safe bet. But no matter how good that vanilla is, it’s a choice that’s completely devoid of imagination or creativity. Even something that is fundamentally good can get downright boring. Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield realized this when they opened their ice cream parlor in the late-1970’s. They decided to do things differently and while they’ve made mistakes along the way (witness the flavor graveyard), they’ve made some outstanding varieties of ice cream that really stand out.

About a decade before Ben and Jerry got their start, a car called the Camaro got its start. It was instantly a hit with great styling, Chevrolet’s epic V8s and relatively little weight it was a winner and quickly developed into a favorite vehicle of the aftermarket. To make a long story short, the modified first-gen Camaro has become so popular that it’s now referred to as a bellybutton car; everybody has one. As fundamentally good as the car is, it’s virtually impossible to do anything original with one.

From what I can see, the Hot Rod crowd understands this to a point and the result is a movement called “dare to be different.” This movement has been great for the scene as people have realized they don’t have to fit into a predefined mold. It doesn’t matter if you have a car that enjoys outstanding aftermarket support or one that children plaster on their walls. It doesn’t matter if people say it can’t be done or it will be too hard. That kind of freedom of expression is what this is all about and the reason different is good.