Those of you that customize your car's appearance, where did you gain your influence from? It's very obvious that some people have a keen eye for styling, and some people just like to tack on anything that fits on their particular car, without a sense of balance or reason. Corvette owners are notorious for this, many of them stick anything and everything on their cars just because it says "CORVETTE" on the part and it fits on the car. Yuck.

I've been drawing cars since age 5. I was reading Hotrod Magazine and Popular Hotrodding as a kindergarten student. I guess I have always been a car nut, and always studied the photos I saw in magazines. At around age 8, I began building car models and customizing those too. When I was 12, I started working on cars with the neighbors and my Dad. I've always been artistic by nature, whether it was drawing stuff, building things, etc...

Here are some general guidelines I tend to follow on customizing cars.

1. Less is more. Just because something fits on your car, it doesn't mean it will look good on your car. ~cough~ Altezza lights ~cough~
2. Pick a theme and/or color combo and stick with it. Don't play mix-and-match with stuff and have too many colors. I try to stick with two colors max.
3. stance is critical. If it looks like a 4x4, or sits uneven, people will notice.
4. stay away from obvious "trends" that will go out of style in a year or so. Stick with more classic customizing cues that have stood the test of time. Example, trendy "real fire" vs classic flames.
5. wheel design should compliment the car. The same wheels might look killer on one car, but look like crap on another car. Spoke shape, count, thickness, etc.. need to compliment the car. Heavy looking cars on thin-spoke wheels look strange. Fat spoke wheels on a sportscar look strange. Fat spoke wheels on a hotrod look cool. Wheel color should compliment the car, and fit the theme of the car. Trendy looking wheels are also going to look outdated in a year. Remember when directional mags were cool? Remember when 3-spoke wheels were the rage? A simple and clean 5-spoke is timeless.
6. keep any custom paint work subtle. As if it *could* have been a factory option. When someone asks if your custom painted car came like that from the factory, that means you probably pulled off a clean look.
7. minimize the use of decals. Too many and the car looks cheap and obviously owned by someone young.
8. pick up on styling cues that involve a little heritage with the car you own. Don't paint Camaro stripes on a Firebird. Don't put Ram Air decals on a Camaro. Retro emblems are always cool.

I'll add more as I think of them.

 

I decided on the cowl hood for my 02 Z because chevrolet first introduced it on its cars. I try not to add anything to take away from the cars original apperance, The most ive done is add some clear corners, black halos, and a hockey stripe, wheels were hard I decided on the crome C6 Zo6 wheels. When it come to ideas on my car I talk it out with my father-in-law he is an old gear head and car enthusist, lots of car knowledge.

 

For the most part, my influence has come from dreams.

 

Exactly what I've done. Although, IMO, black is the only color that matches pewter lol so there isnt much colors to mix with it. What I've done to my previous cars are to keep a good color scheme going. Too many odd colors on the car makes it look crappy. Altho I must have OCD, cuz I haveall, if not, mostly everything on my car Pewter/Black, including light lenses, interior, etc.

What I wanted to accomplish with mine, is give it a classic look, but with a retro touch i.e. hockey stripes on a pewter car ... The last thing I'll be doing to the exterior would be a sunoco hood ... then I think I'm gonna stop cuz I hate cars that are wayyyyyy overdone. I hope thats what u were lookin for

 

My inspiration for customizing cars has come from my Grandpa, who has a badass 69 Camaro SS. He takes it to all the major car shows and had won alot of awards for it. I will post some pics of it, as soon as I can get some.

 

Well I liked parbreaks idea of mixing retro/modern pieces. For the retro look, I am going to use the hockey stick stripes, 69 Z28 emblems, old school "CAMARO" badge on the berger panel and an "old school" bowtie on the front grill. I'll also run black Torq Thrust IIs.

For the "modern" look I will use an RKSport CF grill, wrap the mirrors in CF and wrap the berger panel in CF. The hood scoop on the 3in SS hood will also get a nice wrap job done on it. The exterior is silver too btw.

As far as the interior, I'd say the influence comes from the exotic cars. Exposed carbon fiber everywhere you look. Tasteful seats, electronic equipment, etc. I can't wait to finish this thing!

 

THANKS!! I'm glad someone else likes the idea of mixing old with the new. My ideas have mostly come out of my own head but I guess my love of classic cars, especially the 1st gen Camaros are really where the ideas come from. I think one of the most simple, yet classic mods, was replacing the "SS" fenders emblems with the '67 V Flag emblems. Very old school and I get lots of compliments on them from people who know their history. I also incoporated a Hugger Orange intake into my engine bay as a tribute to one of the most classic colors ever to come out of Detroit.


Bryan
parbreak

 

I kinda just picked up the nitch. I just have an eye for it. Kinda like Nine Ball said, less is "more" better, lol. I like to just stick to a color combo too.

 

I wanted a white T/A w/ dark windows.... then when I finally got the car, the accents were added, the bumper was painted, and the rims were the last touch, but made ALL the difference in the world. Stuck w/ a white/black theme throughout the car (subframe connectors/panhardbar/strut tower brace) and the only other color on it is red b/c of the calipers.

Apparently iv done a good job as Iv had many people compliment me on my car and say "I normally hate black rims... but on your car, it fits perfectly". Hey, i'll take a compliment like that any day of the week.

 

Funny... most of my time growing up was much like yours... did most the same things. I have been a car nut my whole life. I just love a well done simple car but I have respect for some of the most radical rides out there...for the work put into them but I would not ness. want it. That is one reason I love a lot of cars that FOose does. they are very subtle...he does things that others wont do and wouldnt think of. Little touches that make a guy with a keen eye go...hmmm...something is different..what is it. I LOVE THAT!!
I have always been a sucker for a monochromatic scheme if done right.

Never liked it when people cross lines on stuff like putting a WS6 hood on a Camaro...why??

Putting Grand Sport Hash marks on a Camaro/firebird?? why??

Clear lenses on Dark cars...they dont flow...dark cars need smoked lenses. Clears should only be on White/Silver/Pewter etc.

You already hit on the 4x4 stance yuk!

Badging and emblems if placed properly and few can be your friend...but I prefer no badges or emblems. If you can look at my car and not tell what it is..I dont care what you think of it cause you are not a car person to begin with and are just making idle conversation haha!

Remembered one other one. Black wheels can be your friend..but PLEASE dont paint the whole thing black.. Get a polished lip..silver or something to break up the look of the tire and wheel being one. its not a good look.

Those are just a few things that stand out. I think I do things that I will like first and others might like. If they dont ...oh well. they dont have to drive it. About the only IFFY thing that some really dont like on my car is the headlights...but its instantly recognizeable from the other 200 pewter T/A's in my town lol

 

Less is more has always been on the top of my list. My goal has always been; When people look at my car, they know there is something different, but can't point out what. That means the modification did it's job, but doesn't stand out from the overall look. Second in mind, is making it look like it could have came from the factory like that. Long before, I ever had my firebird, I was in to big lifted trucks, and stereo systems. My 97 tahoe was used a couple of times as a fosgate demo vehicle in 98. Even though they had their own cars/trucks, they kept getting requests for mine. It hit just the right notes with people. It was functional, (everyday driver), comfortable, hit 169db, and had a factory look to it, by incorporating factory leather and cloth, while maintaining as many stock pieces as possible. In addition, it had no stickers, or advertisements on the outside, and from the outside, it looked like an off-road truck, not a stereo demo truck.

 

Keep it clean. I try to make it look like it should have come that way from the factory, if possible.

From the outside my car looks clean and almost stock, except for the rollbar.

I try to keep the heritage of the TransAm/Firebird at heart, specifically the 1969 TransAm that my 30th is a throwback to.

Pick one accent color, preferably one that already appears on other parts of the car. ...and agreed, just because you CAN do something doesn't mean you should (yellow wire loom). You can never have too much chrome IN THE ENGINE BAY.

...but the bottom line is you should mod your car whatever way makes you happy - but be prepared to hear others make comments if you stray from popular opinion.

Rob (Bad30th)

 

I pretty much agree with you, Tony. My inspiration comes from other members' cars or pictures I see online.

1) Consistency is key. When I see a white Camaro with chrome wheels, red calipers, blue decals, a black billet grille, and yellow suspension parts, it looks like a hodge-podge. If I just described a member's car, sorry, but that's just not a look I go for.
2) Plan and evaluate. If you're like me and have the (visual) artistic skills of a retarded chimp, find someone with talent and ask them to help you Photoshop your ideas.
3) Start with a clean slate. What I mean by this is, how is your paint? If you put a Mike Moran 3" Cowl Hood on a car with swirled and scratched fenders, it looks terrible. Call a detailer or, better yet, learn how to detail it and do it yourself.
4) Personally, I'm not a big fan of horsepower stickers. Not because you shouldn't be proud that your car makes good numbers, but because you might decide later to add more mods, making those stickers obsolete.


-Mike

 

idk but my inspiration comes from this site...

I dont think I would even know what to do w/ my car had it not been from ideas from people on here

 

I made minor changes to my 2000 by going with a silver theme. I got that from my previous car, my 1989 Formula 350. It was Flame Red Metallic. With the medium gray "Formula 350" door accents, I loved the way that looked. So when I picked up my 2000, I wanted to do the same thing.

They still are the rage in this camp.

 

1. Consistency: It's been mentioned already in this thread: dark cars should get smoked lens vs clear, and it makes sense to tint your windows if you're smoking your corners. If you pick up a leather perf. shift boot, get the piece that goes over the armrest console piece to match. This applies to color themes as well. If you've got blue LEDs lighting up your cluster, stick a few blue LEDs behind your ASR/TCS and fog light switches, too.

2. Complimentary: These are appearance mods that aren't obviously stock to a trained eye, but don't detract from appearance. Mods like the BitViper antenna match up to the antenna mold on Camaros PERFECTLY, and IMO is the only sensible aftermarket choice for an antenna. If you go wide on the tires, get it flush with the body. If you're getting a custom exhaust set up, your exhaust pipes shouldn't be hanging low out the back to clear for resonators! I've seen this before.. and only once luckily.

3. Conservative: AKA the "factory stock" look. There's a difference between tacking on an SS hood on a Camaro, than putting on a Ram Air hood. The Camaro's lines clearly don't reinforce a Ram Air hood, unlike the TA where it (or any of the RA hood's variants) are almost a necessity vs. stock. If you go with rims, get something that isn't flamboyant in design.

I realize that this one is the most debated subject when it comes to modding, as people like to do things to make their car stick out (flames, underbody glow, etc). Just as long as nothing is done in completely BAD taste (IE: obnoxious spoiler), I can learn to accept anything.

 

Different things look good on different cars. For my trans am, I have a vision of what it will look like somebody. I just use that vision as a blue print and work from it

 

im most defenately a less is more person. i prefer to remove/move and smooth instead of adding and covering.
i have a 3 color max on cars, usually only 2. like red base with silver and black or black with charcoal
i like classic styles, but know what works on what cars. classic flames or ghost flames, pinstriping, retro emblems etc can make a car stand out without being right in ur face

 

I've picked up things along the way over the past 3-4 years that I've owned F-bodies. I've taken styling cues from those who know how to do their cars the best, such as Nine Ball and SS LS1.

Some things I've learned:

-FIRST AND FOREMOST: Less is more. Learn it, use it.
-Keep it simple. Anything too extravagant detracts from the overall look of the car.
-Stay with simple and classy color themes and ones that you know will work. Black/silver, black/white, red/black, etc. From there you can add smaller accents in colors such as chrome or gunmetal/charcoal. But as someone above said, keep it together. None of this blue car-red calipers-silver stripes stuff. And it is extremely rare when accent colors such as yellow or green can be pulled off well. Use what works.
-Try to keep the car looking like it could have come from the factory like that.
-Consistency. If you're starting with a certain style, don't begin to deviate from it. If you're using retro emblems and TTII's for a classic look, don't go sticking modern-looking horsepower decals or windshield banners all over it.
-Badging: Once again, stay simple. No need for a badge on every conceivable angle of the car. I'll generally debadge the back and use stylish ones on the sides, or just debadge it altogether. Let's face it, GM/SLP didn't put much thought into the SS or Z28 emblems (The WS6 isn't bad at all, but that's a different story). The cars look much cleaner and more sleek with less or no badging.

 

Nine Ball,

You make some great observations and I agree with many of your assessments. There are a few things I'd like to dissagree with and add.

Agreed. Removing the side molding, doing the !wire mod and other things really clean up the car. The smoother and less interrupted the lines of the car are, the better it will look.

Reduce clutter, stay with the theme, and make as many things as possible flow and look seemless. You'll have a winning combination.

Agree. You must pick a theme. However, 3 colors also works really well, especially in certain circumstances (and you probably do it without realizing it many times). For example, I have a theme of red and black (carbon fiber for most of the black).

BUT, red and black don't make a very nice car if that's all that's used. I need silver as an accent color (ram air decals, chrome lip on the wheels, polished tips, silver on the wings of the bird in front). Many people add silver to their "2 color theme" and don't realize it (with chrome, polished or otherwise).

Even Foose starts with stance as the first thing. I dissagree with people here on the boards that any non-lowered car looks like a 4x4 though. Where I live, I would rip my gfx and the underside of the car to shreds if I lowered it. I would rather have the car drivable (which is as much a consideration as looks) then to have it scraped up.

Remember, some things they do to show cars may look good, but they wouldn't work very well on a car that's driven. i.e. painting the inside of the wheel wells with a base/clear coat. It would get chipped up and destroyed pretty quickly. To me durability compliments looks!

Agreed to stay cautious of trends. However, "real fire" I don't believe is a trend. Just because something is NEW, doesn't mean it's a trend. Remember, every "timeless" style was new at one time. That being said, very little new stuff will become timeless, so be careful.

Agreed.

Agreed. If you go more radical where it couldn't be a factory option, make sure it flows and has a style and theme to it. Going radical for the sake of being radical isn't smart.

Strategically well placed decals will set your car off. Make sure that there's a balance with your car on decals. For example, don't have 15 decals on the rear of your car, none on the side and 2 on the front....doesn't flow.

I dissagree with you on this one. Have you ever heard the term "No man is an island"? The reason people put GS stripes on their Fbody is because they like the STYLE. Almost every design on the Corvette, Camaro and Firebird came from some other car or some other influence.

To say that you shouldn't put it on your car just because the style came from another vehicle is STUPID and CLOSE MINDED. If the style is done right and works with your car...then do it. If it doesn't, then stay away from it.

Sorry....this just happens to be one of the subjects that really bugs me about the GM community (in general). They think if ALL MIGHTY GM GOD didn't put it on the car, then it must be a SIN to think of putting something else on it (even if it does look kick @$$). Wake up people, GM doesn't have a monopoly on style and they never will. Frankly, they do many awesome styling things and many things right, but they also do many stupid things as well (or leave much room for improvement).