Best Modified Cars

The modified car tuning and styling articles are frequently updated and amended as new modifications

Extremes Modified Cars

Modifying a car is a personal statement, making it differ from standard and make it more ‘your’ car. The problem is that there are more people who modify their cars than there are products on the shelf, so being different and standing out from the crowd is not so easy.

For example you see a lot of cars with this years must have alloy wheels on them but how many have you seen with polished or body coloured versions of that alloy on? Or how about how many Subarus have you seen in metallic blue? Now ask yourself how many you have seen with a flip in the paint or a pearlescent. Not that many right, that’s what finishing is all about being individual and doing something to your car that your not likely to see on lots of other cars.

 

Chrome Plating:
Chrome or Chromium is a metal which when applied to steel acts to help protect against corrosion. If you thought that the chrome plate itself is what gives your parts a mirror finish then you thought wrong, this finish is made by nickel plating the component prior to chroming. The chrome itself is actually just a thin hard shelled lacquer.

In order to produce a good finish the process takes time and if rushed will not produce a good effect and can flake off in just a few weeks. Firstly the item to be plated is dipped in hydrochloric acid to remove corrosion and any protective coatings, then the part is polished to produce a near mirror finish before it goes through a stringent cleaning process. After it has been cleaned the part is placed in a nickel tank where it stays for two hours, after which it is placed in the chrome tank for just two minutes. Then all that’s left to do is to give the part a final polish.

There are companies which provide a triple plating service which is where the part is copper plated first, this process gives a more durable and better finish. Many materials can be chromed including plastics & alloy but the process can be very costly because few companies offer to carry out work on a single piece. For a set of alloys to be chromed you are looking at a bill of around £600 as the process involved in chroming alloy is harder & longer than that of steel.

Gold Plating:
This process involves 24 karat gold being electroplated onto a metalled component. Firstly the part to be plated is given a negative charge and stripped using potassium cyanide salts, which cleans the surface and activates the nickel plate underneath. Then a positive charge is applied to the part and the gold is applied then the part is polished and that’s it.

You can gold plate any metalled part but aluminium needs to be nickel plated and polished first, plastics can also be plated if they have a chromed finish.

Anodising:
Anodising protects aluminium parts from corrosion and wear. It is not a coating but instead a process where at the end the finish becomes an integral part of the component. The finish can be brightened and dyed to produce lots of different colours.

The first step is to polish the component then it is dipped in an acid bath and voltage is applied which causes the alloy to oxidise. The oxide layer is then dyed and given a good polish. The most important thing to remember is that the better quality aluminium you use the better the end result. Prices start from around £30 for a pre-polished aluminium gear knob, you should aim to have all the parts you want anodised done in one go as it can be difficult to colour match if done separately and as a bonus it will also out cheaper.

Powder Coating:
Powder coat is a form of paint which is applied using an electrostatic process, the end finish offers a very tough coating which is good at withstanding knocks and scratches. The finish always looks good but it is not a high gloss finish and can be difficult to repair if chipped. The powder coat paint comes in a number of finishes including metallic, gloss, matt and texture.

The process of powder coating starts off with the object being electrically charged whilst powder pigment is sprayed at it. The powder is attracted to the surface of the component giving it a perfect even coat when baked. Anything can be powder coated, but it is best used on parts that wont get too many knocks.

Paint Effects:
There are four main types of paint effects available:

• Metallics - This process is the most commonly seen, these paints carry microscopic particles of metal which catch the light and produce a very nice effect.
• Flips - This effect uses advanced liquid crystal and interference pigments to produce a finish which when viewed from different angles appears as a different colour.
• Pearlescents - Pearlecent finishes are achieved by a multilayer process (i.e. a matt colour base, sprayed over with a translucent colour, sprayed over with a coloured lacquer then finished off with a clear lacquer) which leaves the car mostly one colour but has another colour which gently fades in over curves in the body.
• Metal Flakes - This finish is like a metallic paint but the metal particles instead of being small are much larger

These processes don’t come cheap so be prepared to shell out a lot of your hard earned for a professional job, for example if you wanted a flip paint effect (using 2, 3 and 4 flip Standox paints) you would be looking at paying around a grand just for the tins of paint. Then on top of that the car will need prepping then blowing by a professional sprayer and this could stretch your bill to over more than two grand.

Window Tinting:
There are lots of different styles of window tints out there, mirrored, coloured (red, blue & green), dark, light etc., the darker your tint the meaner your car looks but be aware the police don’t like cars with dark tints so you could find yourself being told to take them off, if you don’t fancy taking your chances then you’re better off sticking with a lighter tint or a colour tint. Most window tinters would be able to tell you what’s legal and what’s not, so give em a ring and get tinting.

Trimming:
There’s no point in making the outside of your car look smart and then leaving the inside of the car standard, this is where interior trimmers come in. The materials available come in many different colours. You can choose from materials like leather, alcantera or vinyl and have your ICE install covered, your seats & door cards retrimmed and more. The effect can be outstanding.

Today car navigation systems such as Motevo, TomTom, Garmin and Pioneer navigation systems are key ingredients when modifying a car. Even satellite or GPS Navigation systems come in hundreds of shapes and sizes. The main types of in-car navigation systems are in-dash mounted navigation systems, portable GPS systems, hand held systems, motorcycle and marine systems and finally the remote navigation systems where the GPS system is plugged in to your car radio for instance. When buying a new GPS system its often better to opt for higher resolution screens as they make the map information easier to see. Large memory and a decent control chip make for smooth and efficient operating, the last thing you need is slow loading and in accurate positioning. Most GPS systems have large touch screens, working with a stylus can be tricky so it does help and lastly pay particular attention to how visible and mobile you wish your model to be. If it’s a permanent fixture in your car then bigger models are great, but if you need to take it in doors after use, a smaller model may be the answer. Car security is a factor not only when modifying your vehicle but also when insuring a car with lots of expensive audio equipment in it. Phone you current car insurance company and find out what you can do before your insurance starts costing you more. They will no doubt also require an upgrade to your car security system and there are simply so many companies out there the likes of Viper, Tracker and Clifford. They all sell various systems such as standard car alarms, remote car start systems and GPS tracking systems. GPS stands for Global Positioning Systems. Professional fitment is recommended and car security shoppers should always insist on a certificate of fitment from the dealer fitting the car security system.

If you want to give your car a sporty look without spending a fortune you can have racing mesh fitted for the front bumper of your car. This looks good and can also improve the airflow around the engine compartment. “Eyebrow extensions” is another way to customise your car. These extensions are usually plastic and are fitted to your car’s head lamps. You can get these in a variety of colours and are relatively inexpensive. Car engine mapping is also relatively cheap to have done and performance gains can be substantial. It is recommended that you have engine mapping performed by competent, well known companies as they are best able to advise you of other crucial safety features you should improve when doing so. Up-rated brakes being one of them and more expensive tyres make for better high speed performance and traction to handle the additional engine power. Consider upgrading the oil you use in your engine when you have this done and use an high quality performance air filter, fuel filter and also replace all perished water and oil hoses frequently, if you haven’t already done so. Engine mapping or chipping is basically re-programming your cars CPU and it is given new instructions on how to fuel your engine. The more power you ask for the more gas / petrol your mapping will request along with other parameters such as increasing the airflow to the engine by tricking the motor into thinking the air is colder, this produces more power. All this power comes at a cost though. Most cars that have upgraded their engine management systems do so for more power, not efficiency and in doing so use more fuel and rev higher too. Cam belts should be replaced more frequently and if you plan any engine modifications have a word with the manufacturers about what you plan to do.

There are many things that can be done to modify a car. An entire industry has been created by the need for body styling, engine tuning, lowered suspension and big bore exhausts. Any part of a car can be modified and making modifications is a statement of individuality and personal style. The most popular cars for modifying are usually small, low insurance group hatches. Always update your car insurance company with the latest modifications to ensure your cover is not withdrawn due to something you thought may be ok which they do not. Other insurances like car breakdown cover and gap insurance cover should not be affected by modifying your car, unlike your car warranty policy which will almost certainly be affected. Give your car warranty company a call and make sure your cover will still be provided before you make any changes.

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