How difficult was it to start moding your car/truck?

[hitch]

All of my cars are nearly all original, I just cannot bring myself to start tearing them apart and changing things. Thinking I should keep original parts (more storage space) just so I can return a project to stock. Has anyone ever started modding their car/truck and had regrets? If you kept the parts, did you ever use them on the same car and put it back to factory original? Is it a waste of time and space keeping stock parts just for nostalgia reasons. I don't think I'd ever actually take the time to re-install the parts. I've been collecting parts for the cars, and really want to start the modifications but my heart is not into making the changes. Will I feel different once the project is started?

[hobbes_the_cat]

Just go for it. I have never put stock parts back on after making changes, as long as you thought it through, it will probably make the car more appealing to other people too. dooo eeet!

[yello620]

I have never found it hard to start modifying. I try to make certain modifications that are reversible to stock, in case i found that need. But that has never happened yet. And i have pretty much quite keeping stock parts for anything that i modded.

 

Well planned mods are rarely regretted.

 

Go for it, you will never regret it. Make it the car that you want it to be and enjoy it.

[80datson]

i would say do it. i mean when i was driving my stock a15 210 it was alright for awhile but then i wanted more power n what not. i still have all my stock parts Just in case but i think you will be happy if yu get what yu want done

[wayno]

I agree with yello620, just do it and enjoy your efforts, one time I upgraded an engine, then reversed it, I regretted that.

[]2eDeYe]

Once you get started it will be hard to stop. This is because, if planned and executed well, the mods will increase the enjoyment of the vehicle.

 

That is after you get the mod completed, during the work you may get frustrated, but that makes it all the more enjoyable once it's back up and running.

[datzenmike]

Don't run into it blindly, but yes there is great satisfaction from personalizing your ride. My 620 started as a bare '82 720 long bed frame with not one thing bolted to it, no suspension, steering anything. I would stand for hours a week just staring at it and visualizing what I wanted. Research. Can't stress it enough. If you are prepared you will move forwards with more confidence. When I drove it out the driveway for the first time I had the biggest grin on my face!!! It was all mine, everything done to it was by myself, I thought it up and made it happen. Hell I even mounted the tires onto the rim with a pry bar. Balancing the tires was the only thing someone else did to it. It carried me across Canada many times without a single problem.

 

You might want to start off small and work up.

[Z chopper]

tear the car apart already and let the mods start

[Skib]

I leave nothing stock.....

[bananahamuck]

Oics speak louder than words

 

 

[kaoss]

For my Datsun it's a $400 truck that I bought with the intention of taking it apart and rebuilding it to sit on the ground. If I totally F it up, i'm only out $400!

 

Now my 2003 Harley Davidson Edition F-150 daily driver is a different story.

[.sunlover]

Starting the mods is the easy part...... Stopping though, not so much.

[Z chopper]

my motto is "Friends don't let friends drive stock"

[datzenmike]

Thinking I should keep original parts (more storage space) just so I can return a project to stock. Has anyone ever started modding their car/truck and had regrets? If you kept the parts, did you ever use them on the same car and put it back to factory original? Is it a waste of time and space keeping stock parts just for nostalgia reasons. I don't think I'd ever actually take the time to re-install the parts. I've been collecting parts for the cars, and really want to start the modifications but my heart is not into making the changes. Will I feel different once the project is started?

 

Definitely keep the parts. If you bail they are there. If a few months later you aren't happy (you should know by then) you can return it to before. If you are happy with ypour work sell or give away if you don't want to store them.

I backed myself into a few corners (but perhaps lots of planning research and thinking about it kept this to only 2 or 3) but successfully got out by myself.

This is very difficult to do on a DD as you are disabling a running vehicle. A project car is different and easier to justify the down time. Hard to swap SUs and a manifold on over the weekend and tune and troubleshoot it knowing you need it Monday to drive to work.

" Will I feel different once the project is started?" Being prepared and having researched what you are doing goes a long way toward increasing you confidence level. Thus, instead of a L E A P of faith it's only a small jump. Being in a hurry or rushed, unprepared, not thinking things through can lead to second thoughts once the car is in the air and the parts start piling up in the corner. Fear of failure is the worst way to work on a project.

[hang_510]

a BFH in 1 hand, so easy...

 

 

Starting the mods is the easy part...... Stopping though, not so much.

as long as the ca$h is flowing!

too many start w/the best intentions, only to run out of capability and time quickly. :hmm:

 

 

ive never started w/a car that i wanted to stay stock.

 

some mods ive done with the ability to return to stock (should a future owner desire to... like id sell it :rolleyes: )

 

most are 1 way, no returns.

 

 

 

sell the stock 'nostalgia' part, unless they are going on the wall = $$$$ for the mods :thumbup:

[datzenmike]

a BFH in 1 hand, so easy...

 

 

 

as long as the ca$h is flowing!

too many start w/the best intentions, only to run out of capability and time quickly. :hmm:

 

 

ive never started w/a car that i wanted to stay stock.

 

some mods ive done with the ability to return to stock (should a future owner desire to... like id sell it :rolleyes: )

 

most are 1 way, no returns.

 

 

 

sell the stock 'nostalgia' part, unless they are going on the wall = $$ for the mods :thumbup:

 

If you are never going to use the old parts sell them to someone who can. These parts are no longer in production and once in the dump or melted down for scrap... they are gone forever. There is bound to be someone out there who would love to complete a project with the correct part.

[Xander_42]

To play devil's advocate, I will say that I'm glad I didn't make any irreversible mods on my 510 before now, because when I got my 510 I was too young to know what the hell I was doing, and I could have royally screwed the pooch if I had done something like attempt a motor swap or whatever. But now that I'm older and actually have some idea of what I'm doing, I can see that the things I did do, I screwed up. Also the drection I wanted the car to go then vs. now is way different.

 

I guess what I'm saying is that if you know where you want a car to go, have the skills to take it there, and plan carefully, you will love the mods, but without one of those things, you could end up with a car you don't like, or worse a car that doesn't work.

[mklotz70]

It really comes down to what you want. You don't seem to have a strong enough desire to modify it. You can see for most guys, the desire to mod is strong and the decision is easy. If it's not easy for you, then don't do it. If you like stock, the rock the best stocker you can. If the cars are in great stock shape, fine another that you don't feel bad about modifying. Trust your gut. You will know. If the decision is not easy...then figure out why it's not. If the car is too nice to mod, find a different car. If it's money, time, abilities, then find a car you can f' up without feeling bad about it....this is assuming that your skills and abilities are questionable. If you have the skill set, the tools, the money and the time and you still can't decide....then your vision for the car's final outcome isn't strong enough...you're not sure enough about your design ideas. Either grab your balls or get a different car :)

 

When I'm trying to decide....like with the NL....I looked around. There are some really pristine, stock examples of the NL320 out there.....so I did not feel that it was my responsibility to build another stock rig. So, I did what I wanted. What I wanted was to get it on the road and drive it....not take on some outrageous suspension mods that would have it off the road for a couple of years. Or try to disturb or redesign the look of the rig because it was already stylish and unique.

 

Take your '79 210....if you love it stock, drive it stock. The reality is that there's just not enough interest in that model. You can go either way with it. I wouldn't mod it unless you have some cool ideas to make it better. Most guys aren't going to care if you mod that rig.....BUT....no one likes to see any nice vehicle butchered and done half ass. That's partly a matter of opinion, so in the end, it has to be something you like and can be proud of. I like the pic bananahamuck...that's how you rock a stock car....you can't put enough money into a car like that to make it look cool any other way. It's "tweaked", but that counts as modified :)

 

This is waaaay too long winded already......

 

If your hearts not into it now, it won't be later...don't do it. Trust me, you'll know when it's right.

As for the parts....if you commit to modifying it, sell off the parts to help fund your project. Just don't sell them until you know for a fact that you won't need them again.

[ZackTheImpaler]

Yeah what klotz said.

 

 

I don't know how to not modify mine. I'm going to practice on the 411 though!

[Gary]

good advice above :D

 

if you want your cars original, and are happy with them just the way they are, then by all means leave them that way :D if you dont like certain things or you think you could do better, have a go! start small (like stereo installs, retrim bits of the interior maybe, get some fresh wheels, do your own servicing etc) build your knowledge and skills and confidence, then take on bigger jobs (say some rust repair/bodywork, custom brakes, things like coilover suspension, exhaust and carby upgrades, factory option/similar engine swaps, etc) THEN get onto more serious stuff if you want to

 

regarding harder stuff like big engine/drivetrain conversions and things, ive had this discussion with a few mates who tend to lust after the final result, but havent quite grasped just what it takes to get there. most things with cars sound simple but end up taking a long time to do as more and more little things and problems will come up that you'd need to solve to progress with the project. which isnt so bad most of the time, but you do get to problems you dont immediately know how to tackle, or you know it's going to be tricky, or a combination of both. motivation is killed pretty quick then. skill and experience is what gets you out of the hole here (or money, or mad skillz friends :D) so its not a good idea for most people to start with big projects. some manage fine but most dont :(

 

with modifying stuff, preference is a big part of it too. not everyone cares for 900hp in a car that came stock with 80, or box flares and 22's and carbon fibre everything in an extremely rare classic

 

on one hand sometimes a car is better left as awesome as it is to maintain what its focused on being, maybe a few little touches here and there depending on preference

on the other, sometimes making a car into exactly what you want it to be is far more appealing. a car you love the look of, with twice or 3x the power it came with from factory, riding and handling and stopping just how you want it to... is a very appealing idea :D

[metalmonkey47]

lol my car was modded before I made it home :rofl:

[wayno]

The only thing left on this truck that I originally bought is red, or connected to the red on the outside. Oh yea, and the bench seat came with the truck. Everything else has been changed, there is nothing left of the original frame or drivetrain, maybe the rear leaves are there, but with 2 extra leaves in there. It has been a process that has taken over a decade to get me where I am today, and it will never be finished, there is always a way to make it better/safer. I usually think about major things for a while as this truck is my work truck, and can't be down for long, a week at the most(once), but usually just the weekend, I have to plan to take this vehicle down, so I know what I am going to do before I touch it. Planning is the most important thing, suprises suck, and so do custom parts, you can't go to the parts store for a custom part.

[NWOleman]

not ever very hard for me to start modifying a rig...just add alcohol and about 5 minutes of looking at the rig! :D

[hitch]

Thanks everyone, I've been contemplating this for awhile. I've got the bug to start changing things, so I'll limit it to the 510 for now. I just cannot bring myself to change the woody.