Nostalgia.........modified car scene
Discussion
Was browsing through the car mags in a well known news agents today when i spotted the latest issue of Max Power, i didnt buy it (bought PPC instead), but on the drive home it got me thinking about whats happened to all the modified cars we used to see on the road at the turn of the millenium & for the few years after.
You couldnt drive through a town or down an A road without seeing a Saxo or 106 with massive eggbox bodykit, 18" alloys, £5k sound system and an exhaust the size of a dustbin.
I remember at this time i was in my late teens & was fully enthralled in the scene...dreaming of a Dimma kitted Clio 16v or Jap-style Nova, and drooling over mad metal flake paintwork & chrome engine bays at the local cruises every saturday night.
I think this scene came to its end a few years ago largely due to cars like the Focus ST, Civic Type-R & Seat Leon Cupra becoming more affordable & finance/loans easier to obtain, putting a lot of bodykit manufacturers & the like out of business. I mean, who'd want to buy a Corsa & spend £6k doing it up when for the same money you can get a Mazda RX8.
I do wonder what happened to all these cars with the mad bodykits, bad-boy bonnets and fast & furious graphics.
You couldnt drive through a town or down an A road without seeing a Saxo or 106 with massive eggbox bodykit, 18" alloys, £5k sound system and an exhaust the size of a dustbin.
I remember at this time i was in my late teens & was fully enthralled in the scene...dreaming of a Dimma kitted Clio 16v or Jap-style Nova, and drooling over mad metal flake paintwork & chrome engine bays at the local cruises every saturday night.
I think this scene came to its end a few years ago largely due to cars like the Focus ST, Civic Type-R & Seat Leon Cupra becoming more affordable & finance/loans easier to obtain, putting a lot of bodykit manufacturers & the like out of business. I mean, who'd want to buy a Corsa & spend £6k doing it up when for the same money you can get a Mazda RX8.
I do wonder what happened to all these cars with the mad bodykits, bad-boy bonnets and fast & furious graphics.
probably wrapped around a tree or falling apart.
although valid point, wonder if any have been stored for Nostalgia. (not my thing but the kids of that generation will get nostalgic in 20 or so years time like i do when i see a Mk1 205 or Astra!!!
I guess the scene died out also because the people into it grew older, and could afford to run and insure cars with real performance rather than just the look, and the next generation moved in with their own "thing"
although valid point, wonder if any have been stored for Nostalgia. (not my thing but the kids of that generation will get nostalgic in 20 or so years time like i do when i see a Mk1 205 or Astra!!!
I guess the scene died out also because the people into it grew older, and could afford to run and insure cars with real performance rather than just the look, and the next generation moved in with their own "thing"
I know theres people out there still doing it as the likes of Max Power & Fast Car still manage to stay in business, but you just dont see them on the road anymore like you did 5 or 10 years ago....and the cars we're talking about are bloody hard to miss.
Just been trailing thru ebay to see i whats for sale on there, i imagine modified cars are pretty hard to shift these days.
Just been trailing thru ebay to see i whats for sale on there, i imagine modified cars are pretty hard to shift these days.
Plenty of them around Suffolk, just head to a McDonalds near you on a Friday night....
And last weekend I was in Kent, and it was outside a Halfords, I kid you not. I wondered if they'd popped in, bought some kit, glued it on, then sat outside in the carpark thinking they looked cool. And it was Astra Vans etc.. though there were a couple of Scoobies, all sat around with the music on, hoping for a female to pass by.
And last weekend I was in Kent, and it was outside a Halfords, I kid you not. I wondered if they'd popped in, bought some kit, glued it on, then sat outside in the carpark thinking they looked cool. And it was Astra Vans etc.. though there were a couple of Scoobies, all sat around with the music on, hoping for a female to pass by.
Jasandjules said:
Plenty of them around Suffolk, just head to a McDonalds near you on a Friday night....
And last weekend I was in Kent, and it was outside a Halfords, I kid you not. I wondered if they'd popped in, bought some kit, glued it on, then sat outside in the carpark thinking they looked cool. And it was Astra Vans etc.. though there were a couple of Scoobies, all sat around with the music on, hoping for a female to pass by.
Haha yes they tend to be the local meeting points around my way as well. The best thing is there is a nice 1/2 mile stretch of dual carrage way with traffic lights at the start...great planing councilAnd last weekend I was in Kent, and it was outside a Halfords, I kid you not. I wondered if they'd popped in, bought some kit, glued it on, then sat outside in the carpark thinking they looked cool. And it was Astra Vans etc.. though there were a couple of Scoobies, all sat around with the music on, hoping for a female to pass by.
I made the stupid mistake of going to grab cinema tickets in my old supra once (carpark has a McDonalds in it) I kid you not it was like a demi god had just parked up "wow mr you got nos? innit" etc etc etc to be fair they just wanted some shots of the car and most of them wern't acting like dicks
Nostalgic about "that scene"? It was virtually yesterday and dear God wasn't it embarrassing? As a youngish car enthusiast at the time of the "scene" I wanted nothing to do with it, it was cringe worthy and laughable. Can't understand how anyone can look back upon it with rose tinted specs?
There's still a few around here but I definitely see less than I used to. Maybe it's just that as I've grown up, I can afford to avoid the areas where they're common.
Not sure about nostalgia though. I thought it was pretty stupid back then and I still think it's pretty stupid now.
Not sure about nostalgia though. I thought it was pretty stupid back then and I still think it's pretty stupid now.
Edited by kambites on Friday 10th July 09:08
Carfiend said:
Still plenty of new stuff appearing on barry boys so at least a few poeple must still be keeping Halfords in business.
How very true, I am shocked how parents let their kids waste money! I was looking into decatting my MR2, lowering it putting bigger wheels on it etc (I was young). Until my Dad sat me down and went through the costs of each part and the performance increases I could quickly see that it would be more worth while spending the money on either a car with a bigger engine or a MR2 turbo (how I wish I had). Last weekend I spot a teenager looked 17/18 coming out of halfords with his old man (who looked quite respectible in a shirt and trousers) holidng some crap spoiler and loads of sound equipment. They were then holding up against the sons 1.3 ztec fiesta thingy............why oh why the father looked intelligent shirly he could see it was money down the drain!!!!!
A few years back had a chat with one such lad at halfords when I had my MR2
Him - "that MR2 yours mate?"
Me - "Yep"
Him - "cool they are really expensive to buy arnt they? I did up my Rover because I couldnt afford a performance car"
Me - "they arn't too expensive now and insurance is ok, how much have you spent"
Him - "so far I done just body work and that has cost £2500"
Me - "oh right (thinking oh my god what is this guy smoking!!!)
I was thinking this the other day when I was waiting to turn right at a junction and a true heap of a diesel Rover 200 set off from the lights across the junction from me. Badly fitted wide arch bodykit in a different shade to the car, chrome wheels sunk back half a metre from arches, huge sun strip covering most of the windscreen, dodgy exhaust. I think the driver saw me looking in disgust at his creation as he scowled and veered left and right as he ragged his bag of spanners away from the lights, and no it wasn't powerful enough to be torque steering, he was just a bad driver.
But that was the first badly done up car I'd encountered in months. I'd like to think that programmes like Top Gear and websites like Barry Boys have hammered home just how rubbish these creations are. But I suspect it's just a trend in yoof habits.
But that was the first badly done up car I'd encountered in months. I'd like to think that programmes like Top Gear and websites like Barry Boys have hammered home just how rubbish these creations are. But I suspect it's just a trend in yoof habits.
When I was a teenager, modded cars were all about Sunbeam Tis and hot 'Scorts. Extra Cibies, roller bearing top mounts, anti-dive kits, double width ARBs, single leaf rears, quick racks and twin 40s.
Only sort of body mods were tarmac arches and X-pack/Zakspeed kits or maybe a Trailblazer.
I guess insurance costs changed it all for the 90s and noughties kids
Only sort of body mods were tarmac arches and X-pack/Zakspeed kits or maybe a Trailblazer.
I guess insurance costs changed it all for the 90s and noughties kids
interloper said:
Nostalgic about "that scene"? It was virtually yesterday and dear God wasn't it embarrassing? As a youngish car enthusiast at the time of the "scene" I wanted nothing to do with it, it was cringe worthy and laughable. Can't understand how anyone can look back upon it with rose tinted specs?
Everyone was into modifying in one way or another, some people went for performance, some went for styling & some for ICE. Was just making the point that you dont see many of these cars about anymore and im not justifying them at all. Im glad i saw sense and decided not to waste my hard earned on bodykits and that, just on performance. Gotta admit tho, the wide arch dimma 5 turbos, 205's & clios still look pretty cool!Everyone?
"The scene" really seemed to be about showing off in car parks, maybe slapping a huge body kit and stereo to your motor and arsing about. The performance side was tiny (I've only ever been interested in modifying for performance).
I suspect that like me a lot of enthusiast had no time for muppets, making an exhibition of them selves outside of MacDonalds drive thru and distanced themselves accordingly.
"The scene" really seemed to be about showing off in car parks, maybe slapping a huge body kit and stereo to your motor and arsing about. The performance side was tiny (I've only ever been interested in modifying for performance).
I suspect that like me a lot of enthusiast had no time for muppets, making an exhibition of them selves outside of MacDonalds drive thru and distanced themselves accordingly.
interloper said:
Nostalgic about "that scene"? It was virtually yesterday and dear God wasn't it embarrassing? As a youngish car enthusiast at the time of the "scene" I wanted nothing to do with it, it was cringe worthy and laughable. Can't understand how anyone can look back upon it with rose tinted specs?
That describes it perfectly. I'm no snob believe me but my immediate reaction to one of these 'creations' rumbling past was to laugh. I just couldn't help it. The driver was usually oblivious though as he/she was usually totally convinced that they looked utterly cool, and that was all that mattered to them I suppose. Defines the term Delusional though!There are still a few around here and I still laugh whenever I see one. I probably sound like a total arse for having that reaction but I have no control over it. Sorry.
Edited by useyourdellusion on Saturday 11th July 10:48
TJL500 said:
I do wonder what happened to all these cars with the mad bodykits, bad-boy bonnets and fast & furious graphics.
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