There was a time when people used to be happy with orthodox designs and features on their vehicles - but days have changed!
No one seems to be satisfied unless they browse through popular custom car sites using the Internet and find a stylish accessory which could be used to elevate the image and performance of their machines. Even the owners of brand new luxury automobiles in US are going for customization of their vehicles. Though global economic condition is not that favorable, auto accessories market seems to be on fire - everyone is ready to pay a good part of their incomes to ensure that their vehicle looks better than the neighbor's!
Recently, a custom-made UFC-branded Chevrolet Camaro was auctioned off for a charity at a staggering $350,000 price point. The money raised is being used to benefit the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund. The "limited edition supercar" comes with a 650-horsepower ultracharged V8 engine and was bought by Shannon West of Grand Junction, Colorado.
Falling Back In Time
Custom car fad started trickling down to automobile enthusiasts around 1940s in the Los Angeles area. At this time, Harry Westergard started to customize '36 Ford cabriolets and coupes in his home garage at Southern California. It's quite interesting to know that even car racing legend Frank Kurtis did automotive modification work in L.A between his racing activities. Typical car modifications in this era involved trim removal, adding glass-pack mufflers to get the 'heavy sound", and chopping the top.
Present Day Custom Cars
As customization heavily affected the urban population in US, even branded automakers of the world started offering customization services to ensure a better a clientele base. Present day custom works involve addition of selected automotive accessories such as:
* Grille Bars & Bull Bars
* Tonneau Covers
* High-end air intake systems
* Underdrive Pulleys
Muscle cars have regained their lost popularity as Americans have realized that their retro structures offer best customization prospects. People are more interested on checking custom car sites to lay their hands on legendary muscle cars such as Camaro, Challenger, and Mustang!
