The Basics in Car Modification (Part III)

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Alright, now that you have your car’s exterior covered, you have to make sure your car has enough bang to go with it, performance-wise. There are loads of performance kits out there to give your car that added boost. A great turbo kit will make sure your car won’t be left to snort the fumes from other faster rides. Also you car has to have enough brains to handle all that power so throw-in a quality ECU as well.

Just because you’re not concerned about your weight doesn’t mean your car shouldn’t as well. Put your car on diet. Get a good weight- reduction kit for it as well because less poundage means more zoom for your car.

And to round that off, go ahead and get a good nitrous oxide kit for a speed burst when you need it most. Boy, you’re car should be smoking by now, eh?

So your car looks good and goes fast, but does it have a good sound system? Give your car its own theme song to go with its looks and power by installing great amplifiers and sub-woofers for it. Low-quality ones have less power and may even sound a bit off. Great ones though, well, let’s just say you’ll be the village alarm clock and I’m not even exaggerating. You’ll have everyone’s head bobbing up and down in no time. God bless sound engineering. Boom-boom-boom baby!

If you followed my list, by now, you’re car should be just about ready to hit the streets and dazzle everyone. There’s just one more thing left: the interior. No matter how good your car looks on the outside, driving it will not be enjoyable if you don’t have the proper stuff INSIDE the car, you know what I mean? First off, what do you do before you start your car? You have to SIT inside first right? Ok so you’re thinking, replacing your seats might be a little overkill. I you do then you’re missing the point. When you get into car modification, you have to pay attention to every little detail in your car inside and out. You got to have the rights seats man. Bucket-type seats offer good support for your back and it’s professionally set to be in the optimum driving configuration. Hell, pro racers have been enjoying these types of seats for decades. So if it’s good for them it’s damn sure good enough for the ordinary driver. Leave it to the experts.

Now that we got you sitting comfortably, how bout your passengers? Get choice upholstery so you’re passengers sit comfortable and in style. Trust me, you’ll be thanking me when the ladies flock to your car because of them.

Everybody’s comfortable, so now what? Are they bored? Chuck in some entertainment for them then. There are great LCDs that you can installed on the back of the driver’s headrest. Why do you need them, you ask? So you can install a couple of game consoles, that’s why. Now no one gets bored in your car, no one. And with that awesome sound system that you have, they’ll be playing as if they were the characters themselves. Got some more room? Here are some things you can add: GPS (so you’ll know exactly where the party’s going to be), a fridge for sodas (what? Were you thinking of beer? You know driving while getting smashed is illegal…if the good ‘ole 5-0 catches you) and virtually anything else you can fit in there. Be creative. It’s your friggin’ car so you should be able to dress it up some more to suit your taste and personality.

Now that everything is everything, open that garage door, rev your NEW car up till it redlines then zoom off and experience everything that you and you’re car have been missing out on. Cheers!

The Basics in Car Modification (Part II)

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Now that we have the right “clothes” for your car, it’s time to get it some decent shoes. Nice rims to house your car’s tires, add even more bling for your ride. These are available in different sizes and materials. They come in alloys, steel and even in chrome for you players out there. Some of these look great but tend to bend when exposed to extreme situations. If money is no object, then go for chrome 19-inchers and above with spinners. Those will definitely cause some heads to turn.

Next up we have your car’s lights. This particular area in your car is not one to be overlooked. You may have a wicked body kit on already, but if your car’s headlights and taillights are still stock, it just doesn’t feel complete. There are oodles of choices for you to go on here. They even come in different colors and intensity nowadays.

Speaking of lights, your car’s underbody deserves a decent set too. Grab a good underbody neon light kit and watch everybody’s jaw drop. Now while static neon lights are already appreciated by everyone, imagine what pulse neon lights will do for your car. Believe it or not, some of the damn things actually blink continuously while you cruise, how absolutely friggin’ awesome is that?

There is one topic that has been debated on over and over again by experts and enthusiasts alike. Nobody seems to agree on whether a car should be tinted or not. While some go for the darkest tint available, others believe that tinting should be left to ex-convicts and wanted felons. Celebrities that don’t want to be bothered by TMZ go for the deepest shades they can find. I asked my buddy why his window doesn’t have any tint at all, to which he replied, and I quote “why should I spend more money just to hide my good looks?” Ah modesty at its finest. I guess this all boils down to your taste really… It depends on your car’s overall look too. Use your imagination when deciding whether to add tints to your window or not.

When it comes to lowering your vehicle, always get the best kit possible to avoid damaging your car’s suspensions. Others go for the cheapie cheapie way and just cut some inches off of their spring to lower it. Now while this method is way cheaper than getting quality kits, this also comes with a greater risk of wrecking your suspension at even the slightest bumps on the road. Choose wisely my friend. Don’t be a cheap-ass because repairs will cost you so much more in the end. A well-lowered car adds to a more streamlined feel and definitely makes your car look like a stalking predator ready to burst unexpectedly to go for the kill.

Now we have your doors. Are you thinking is there some more ways that I could improve on my doors? This is the car modifier’s age man, of course there is! You can give fool everybody into thinking you own a supercar by getting supercar-ish doors. Scissor-type doors that have been used exclusively by supercars in the past can now be installed for your car. Get in and off your car with style.

Now that you have supercar-ish doors, go the extra mile by making making your car sound like a supercar too. Add a decent muffler and hear your car roar like a wind tunnel-tested Italian hybrids. This is just plain wicked man. Make your presence felt every time.

After all of those, we’re just about ready to close the chapter on making your car’s exterior stand out. All this cake need is its icing. What better way to do it than by getting an awesome paintjob and artwork done. Gone are the days when the choices for your car’s color are limited to plain red, mediocre blue, etc. We now have pearlescent shades that seem to change color in different light settings. Also, there are a lot of talented artist that can lay down your favorite artwork on your car for you. What better way to express your feelings and intentions than by getting a sick artwork airbrushed on your ride’s side.

The Basics in Car Modification 101 (Part I)

So you’re ready to trick your ride out are you? Know the basics so won’t end up with your car looking and feeling worse than when you started.

So you got your stock car right? First you have to assess your priorities. You can start modding on any part of your car so if you’re on a budget, you have to start on the aspects that matter the most to you.

If your car’s exterior is your primary concern then start from there. You have to look at your car’s overall design and single-out the parts that you want to improve on. Generally, there are tons of body kits out there for your car’s model. Additions include side, front and rear skirts, all of which make your car look sleeker and definitely much more menacing. Choose the ones that you believe are right for your car. Also, make sure that its design is flawless. Your car’s visual points depend on it. Then you have to make sure that it’s made from high-grade materials otherwise even the tiniest of objects that come into contact with it while driving may damage it, thus blemishing your car’s otherwise perfect looks.

Then there are the hoods. And I don’t mean where you came from. There is a wide variety of hoods available out there. They are available in different colors as well as materials. Some have slots to help dissipate heat from your engine, while giving your car added points in the looks department. Some hoods are even made from lightweight carbon fiber. These help your car and engine run lighter and cooler respectively. But the most noticeable aspect of a carbon fiber hood is its color. That solitary phantom black part (unless of course your car’s color is already black) gives an aura of menace about your car. This gives others a good solid warning not to mess with you.

Then there are spoilers. Due to a lack of a better name to call it, spoilers are actually contrary to how it sounds. These babies located at the top of your trunk gives that much needed down force when you’re driving way above the speed limit. Without them at these seeds, you’re car could make like an airplane and take off. Not literally take off, but it could start to rise from the ground thereby limiting your handling which makes it very dangerous. Aside from its practical uses, spoilers also give your car that F1 feel. Yeah that’s right, who could tell that your car wasn’t built for racing with those huge Batmobile-like protrusions coming out of your car’s backside. With these honeys on your car, you are one-step closer in making your ride the road-going menace you want it to be.

TO BE CONTINUED….

Perfect time to Live

I don’t think my fellow car modification enthusiasts will disagree when I say we are living in the perfect time for our hobby. I mean just look at the tools and products available for our purposes. I am ecstatic about the endless possibilities you can do to your car these days. For one thing, economical cars from Japan are available to us, with limited budgets. But that is not to say they’re not well-equipped. I say they are just as powerful as their American or European counterparts. And given the right boost from aftermarket kits, they may even leave their competitors far behind. People are starting to see Japanese cars in a brand-new light. Movies like the Fast and the Furious are a big help in making people see all the glorious possibilities they can do to their vehicles. And it also helps in debunking the myth that cars from Asia are crap. I mean, could you honestly say that a Nissan Skyline GT-R is under-powered? Will you have the heart to say that a Mitsubishi Evolution IX is slow or that a Subaru WRX Impreza doesn’t handle well? Now you get the picture…

What’s more, there is an outbreak of affordable aftermarket kits that you can fit them with. What this means is your 25-grand car with the right set-up could match the speed of a car more than twice its price tag. How great is that? That kind of technology wasn’t there during our dad’s time. Face it, we have it easy.

With its present rate, it won’t be long before we see stuff that’s straight out of the comic books. Ah, what it is to be a car tuner these days. There aren’t nearly enough words to explain it. So why don’t you take that broken down civic that you have in your front lawn and mod it into something you can definitely be proud of, trust me, now’s the perfect time.

Ride Tuners of the World Unite!