Modifying: Keep it simple (opinion)

[eiriksmil]

Hello all,

I wrote this for EvolutionForums.com, but I thought I wanted to share this with you, to get some opinions around the issue.


Original thread here (the administrator posts the opinions, the text itself is my work).

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I believe most of us learned early in life to keep it clean and simple. If no parent raised an eyebrow over what we did, we
could pretty much do anything we liked, and if we didn't make things too complicated or went with an overkill on what we did,
the plan would often work. Why make up detailed explanations to explain you didn't have any homework when you could just go
with a simple "no"?

It's like that in the modified car world too; some of the finest, yet most influential cars have been made with a less-is-more
attack, and simplicity has always been a key. Whether you're into clean VWs playing the OEM+ style, or into the modern
tuner-style often seen on Japanese cars and 90's German cars (Opel/Vauxhall Calibra, BMW E36), thought-through work and the
overall flow of the details is always appreciated. The details might make the car, but the details can break the car too; how
often haven't we seen a car so detailed the overall shape doesn't flow? There's no use in shaving the doors if you're going
with a round bodykit on a boxy car, or vice versa.

If you are going to do something groundbreaking though, do it the right way. Most people are frightened and disgusted when you
mention a certain Golf Grand Cherokee II, or some of the air-ride equipped CRX Del Sols in The Fast and The Furious. However,
most car interested will certainly know the SWB green Evo "IX" built by Simon Norris and his crew, or the SWB roof-chopped
300C built by WCC. Cars that are heavily modified, but could have built as one-offs by the factory, is the way to go.

It doesn't take that much effort to do something really unique either; a welder, a grinder, some filler and some primer, plus
a coat of paint and a rubbing of the rest of the car, and you can add your personal touches to a relatively stock machine. And for re-writing the rulebook, you don't need to spend much money to make something good to the eye.

Some people claim that we need more originality, and the way to do so is apparently by fitting Golf IV fronts on Golf IIs or
painting your car purple, pink and blue. In my humble opinion, that's not the case. For me, a "FunCargo" badge on the back of
a Euro-spec Yaris Verso or the infamous (famous only to the hardcore) blue Volkswagen Rabbit Husqvarna-edition shows more car
enthusiasm and appreciation than any non thought out modification.

I got a question some weeks back ago, do you modify your car for your own sake, or simply to satisfy others? It left me
somewhat perplexed and I had a tiny smile on the face; of course I do it for myself. That's what modifying is about, to add
our own personal touches without losing the OEM feeling we love from the stock cars. And, just think about it, where are you
in three years, do you still love your purple, pink and blue car, or have you got fed up with it? Because, as most of us
know, the things that are considered "cool" in the beginning fades quickly away, while the discreet and humble stuff tends to
stay there.

What I'm simply trying to say is keep it simple. Modifying is all about adding your personal touches and style to the car in
question, but also to retain the very "this is tested and approved", solid feeling we get from stock cars. You don't have
to totally alter the car's looks to make a personal statement. Don't be afraid to experiment, the world would be a much more
boring place without - just keep it simple!

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Eirik

 

[opendriver]

A bit of a long read and the format of it sucked, not your fault, some of the adds get in the way and screw up the layout.


I do agree, some people keep it simple, while others like to rice it out and go the wholee 9 yards on every little thing. Theres a point when you cross "need" and "want". When you start to put coffee makers and thing like that in your car, you lost it. Sure, go ahead and put in a nice stereo and some rims, but people want more than that some times. Take a certain thread in our own GTP (at the top of Videos and photos section) called "questionable mods" where you can find everything over the top and stupid


Bottom line-If you dont need it, dont install it, KEEP IT SIMPLE

 

[SRV2LOW4ME]

I've always believed in KISS...Keep It Simple Stupid! (Not the bad)

Honestly, I think car modifications should be left to what you like, and not what everyone sitting in the parking lot of the local hang out thinks.

BUT

If you are ever thinking of selling your vehicle, then obviously simple is the way to go. Think of it this way, when you want to fix up your house, but plan on selling it in the future, do you build a kitchen with 6 foot counters and 12 furnaces? No, you paint the walls white, and make everything look clean. The same goes for car mods. If you can't take it off and replace it with OEM parts within a matter of hours, or without a complete tear down, then think twice about doing it.

You can't please everyone all the time, but when building something you plan to sell, you should atleast please the majority.

 

[YSSMAN]

I've always believed in KISS...

Hey, me too! You wanted the best, you've got the best...

---

Anyway, things get a bit tricky when it comes to modifying your own personal car. As stated in the essay above, what is most important is your own personal views on how the car should look, act, etc. However, so often is that forgotten when we see circa-1998 Chevrolet Monte Carlo LTZs with APC stickers across the front windshield and a 18" Supra spoiler on the back... Justifications? Oh yeah, he saw it in some movie, so everyone who sees him must thing he is cool because they saw it in the same movie...

I think this brings up the question of "taste" when it comes to given things, and that certainly isn't something that I would care to debate in most circumstances. While I would prefer the simple looks of a Jetta with a flat-black paint job, a nice set of 17", and a few internal modifications... Others may like theirs in florescent green, with 12" spoilers, 22" wheels, and $30K worth of stereo equipment.

I mean, there are cool things people could do to their car to make it more appealing. More often than not, wheels become a big part of the sale, same thing with stereo equipment, etc. Would I always want it? Not necessarily, but in some cases, they are welcome additions to the car or truck in question.

 

[opendriver]

Ya hit the nail right on the head there 'MAN


I have always thought of one thing when it comes to modifying your car:

If you cant see it, dont modify it

 

[slidesquad#1]

I have always thought of one thing when it comes to modifying your car:

If you cant see it, dont modify it

Umm...what? How exactly do you not see things on your car? How does that even work? You can't see the engine when the hood is down, so leave it stock? You can't see the suspension (for the most part anyways), so leave that untouched? Not do anything to your car other than wheels, paint, tintzzz and fart pipe? Not too sure exactly what you mean here.



My own opinion, do what you want and be prepared to stand by it. If you want dayglo paint, retardedly large wheels, giant sound systems, corvette steering boxes in your truck to outhandle Clio 182's or more neon under your car than the average red light district, by all means do it. I wouldn't touch your car with a 10 foot pole, but at the end of the day, it's your car. You have to drive it, and if you enjoy it, that's all that really matters, even if i publicly point and laugh at you as you "cruise" by.

Originality is good, but personally, I like to stick with things that are tried and tested. Without a huge budget, originality=poor. At least that's how I see it.

As an example, my modifications:
Exterior: Nothing. Except the muffler I guess
Go faster bits: cold air intake, 3 inch exhaust to said muffler.
Interior: Boost gauge, high-ish end head unit, new speakers all around, 12" sub and amp.

Nothing special, nothing original. But it makes my car just that bit better than what it was standard. To ME. And that's all I really care about.

 

[eiriksmil]

Good points here, indeed. Personally, a very good modification is a mod you notice there has been done something, without really being able to pinpoint what it is after some thinking. You can do many mods, without problems, but the complete package and the total look must not be overshadowed by the details. Take the original Aston DB9, look at those handles, they are pure sex!
I believe if I saw something like that on a wide and low car, a Jetta or Golf for instance, I would have thought it bore resemblance to the much more expensive Aston. You see my point? Do it with care, so one understands it's thought out.


Eirik

 

[JCE]

The only thing in that thread I actually looked at was this:

...

What was that topic about again?

 

[stumpydino]

i like to see originality, i hate to see shop bought bolt on unecessary crap that everyone else has and the only variation is possibly car model! i agree on simplicity it is key, i like something that compliments the design of the car and provides smooth lines and an uncluttered look.

not best example but it is clean
i hardly find enough in the more modern modifying scene, although the euro modifiers appear to get it right more than import users but then theres a lot more kids with imports that dont know what theyr doing. guys like John D'agostino, Richard Zocchi, Jimmy Vaughan and Rick Dore sure know the clean look tho

super smooth
i like the phantom designs too, that look production made but are completely custom, cars with subtle changes that just clean up the design of the car, also just changing the stance of the car can make it look a lot better, and a roof chop can provide a much sleeker look and choice of wheels is important 👍

 

[Deathclown66]

^^ Nice Wheels, Love the deep dish on FWD (or poss. AWD)

In the automotive world, you have two kinds of people. The First kind, and sadly, the most common today, are the people who buy cars, and customize them because they want a cool image. (see - 99% of Exotic owners in America)

The second kind, truly love cars, and become very artistic about their cars. These are the people who will modify their car tastefully, and plan it out with extreme attention to detail.

So next time you see some guy driving a '95 Integra with a dramatic bodykit, shaved doorhandles, pitch black tint, 20" rims, and exhaust, with no modifications to things you can't see, just smile, and realize this poor SOB is just craving your approval.

 

[Car-less]

My take on a well modified vehicle is one that looks as if it could have left the factory that way, yet does not look the same as anything in the showroom.

Unfortunately most modifications just end up looking like the entire Halfords catalogue stuck on one car, then exposed to an explosion in a paint factory.