5 Excellent Tips for Customizing Classic Cars



Posted: Tuesday, May 20, 2008

by
Classic Vehicle Auction

Not all classic car owners want to restore their classic into its plain original beauty. Some would want to add a little spice to their cool ride, like blazetrails as an addition to their paintjob. Some would prefer a safer ride, with fuel-efficient engines, seatbelts, and airbags.

Customization might bring your classic car's value down, but if you will have a far more comfortable ride, then it would still be worth it. If you want to do customization on your own, here are 5 excellent tips you should follow.

1. Create a master plan for customization. In restoring a classic, you have an easy guide: the original look and specs of the car. In customizing, you need to have your own guide. Try to draw the final look of your car. If you want flames or skulls on the side, try to have a good visual rendition first, to know if you really want it or not. You won't want to have a customized paintjob that will end up horrible.

Also, make a list of the things that you will replace. If you want a new engine, look up if other parts need to be replaced too, like the radiator, fuel injections, and others.

2. Don't overdo the details. Flames and skulls are nice, but a whole lot of them on the car are not. It will simply make your car look like a cheap vehicle owned by a punk. Also, aside from drawing, try to match up the colors. Shocking green could give a nice retro feel, but matching it with purple is a disaster.

3. Make sure that your car remains in balance. If you want to add a supercharger, make sure that the engine can handle it. The stock engine of a first generation Mustang could probably blow up if you supercharge it. Thus, you also need to replace the engine.

And if you are planning to install a monster engine, make sure to upgrade your suspensions too. This is simply to avoid disaster. And just to make sure that your car is in perfect balance, have a mechanic inspect it afterwards.

4. Adding hydraulics is nice, but make sure that it does not ruin the car. Too much bumping and humping would wear down a sweet classic car, and you would not want that. Not only will it depreciate in value, you also need to apply repairs again.

If you are planning some drastic changes, like turning a car into a convertible, consider it thoroughly. These changes are non-reversible, and if you are planning to sell your car later, you might have a difficult time finding buyers.

5. Make sure you add the necessary stuff. If you will add a monster of an engine and a supercharger do not forget to include better seatbelts and airbags. Remember, the point of customizing a classic car is not really to make it look cool, but to make it much safer and comfortable.

The great part about customizing a classic car is that while you do put in much effort, you don't need to treasure hunt that much for original parts. That means working on your car would be pretty convenient. Add to that the chance to make your car as you really want it. It might bring down the value of your classic car, but sometimes, fulfilling your desire is better than having money.


Peter Grizzly is an age-old classic car enthusiast. He makes his living now by being a classic car trader. He owns a third generation Thunderbird, and would like to collect all of the released T-Birds, including the 1954 prototype. His website, which is a classic car auction can be found at: http://www.classicvehicleauction.com
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