The garage
Customization: Part 3
STEVE SILVA VOLUNTEER STAFF
You have the parts, the car, and the passion to put it all together. You spend hours at a time working on your project car, your girlfriend hates you for loving it more than her, your parents are only vaguely aware that there’s a person living in their house because they hardly see you, and your friends are beginning to catch on that you’ve been using them for free labour. You’re at the third and final stage of car customization.
At this stage, the best advice I can offer to a tuner or anyone personalizing their ride is to not get ahead of yourself. It can be temping to buy cheap parts or rush jobs, but resist the urge. I can’t even count how many times I’ve seen people with unpainted body kits and mediocre exhaust system jobs roaming the streets. If you can’t afford it, don’t rush and buy the shitty stuff. Your car won’t turn out like you envisioned, and people (like myself) will either laugh or feel sorry for you. Patience is indeed a virtue in the game of customizing.
This is also the stage in which everyone’s project — and the process they use to accomplish things — will be different. If you plan to do all the work yourself, it will yield a different experience than if you drop your ride off at a shop and just shell out the dough. Even if you’re not the most experienced “car person” and have to pay someone to do the work, go by the shop anyway. Spend some time around the mechanic while they are installing your equipment. Look, listen and learn, and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Any shop that frowns upon this is obviously trying to hide something. From my experience, installers and mechanics like it when owners take a deep personal care and show interest in the car and the parts being installed. It shows the mechanic that you’re a serious enthusiast, and even though you might not know it all, it’s important enough to you that you’re willing to stick around to see it happen. Most mechanics will also take more pride in their work if they know that it isn’t going unappreciated, and you’re not just some spoiled rich kid spending daddy’s money.
Starting your own project car, customization project, or even a small change is really all about the process; the outcome of a sweet ride is just the icing on the best damn metaphoric cake you’ve ever had. It can be a good learning and bonding experience for your friends and family. Work on the car yourself and with the ones you care about. You’ll find it much more rewarding if you do the work yourself rather than paying someone to do it for you. If you don’t know all the answers or simply don’t know where to begin, ask people who know such as mechanics, friends, myself here at The Garage, or buy tech guides to help you figure out the particular installations.
In the end, customization is all about making a dream a reality. Whether it’s changing a pair of taillights or full out body-off frame buildups, all projects are equally satisfying. It’s all about self-expression and making a statement. It’s about taking pride in what you drive and knowing that your wheels are one-ofa- kind. You’re a unique individual, so why should your ride be as boring and conformant as the rest? Spice things up; make your ride as unique as you are. You’ll find that with the right planning, time, money, and patience, you’ll wind up with a ride that not only impresses, but that also represents you as an individual. So get out there and wrench on your rides people, because you’ll find it ultimately satisfying and rewarding if you do.
