Forums...and the car scene

[CasadeWaffle]

It wouldn't be fair to say that forums are the cause for our declining car scene much like it wouldn't be fair to say that it's mcdonalds fault for ppl being overweight. But I think many of you let others on this website, and in our community influence you WAY TOO MUCH. Why do you even care about the opinions of anonymous ppl hiding behind screen names and computer monitors? I truly do not understand. Now I do understand that we all derive our inspiration, and our taste from others, but do you really need to make threads asking all of IA to put hash marks on your camaro? Does every honda in the car pics section need to be either black/sliver/white/blue with a drop, front lip, and rotas. I mean holy shit, this is what is ruining the scene IMO. Now I know you're thinking who is this asshat preaching to all of us? Well I am just an average guy working and getting through college so I can afford to buy something better than my stock 2000 toyota camry. And I guarantee you it won't be a civic with a front lip/drop/rotas.

Basically I'm just saying that you should do what you want to, and fuck what everyone else thinks. Why try to impress guys you don't know...sounds pretty :gay: to me

[SEAN]

sounds about right to me...things have changed allot in the last several years I have been around...

[Nerdsrock22]

Does every honda in the car pics section need to be either black/sliver/white/blue with a drop, front lip, and rotas. I mean holy shit, this is what is ruining the scene IMO.

First of all, I'm so tired of hearing this complaint about Hondas. Thats what color most Honda's come from the factory, and most kids don't have the $$$ to get a decent paint job. I can do without the "Yo me and my bro rattlecanned my EF last night" nonsense. Same goes for the drop and Rotas, you can do these things for fairly cheap, and still end up with the look you want. NBD.

As far as the larger scene goes, I think the forums have allowed for a much quicker spread of ideas, increased creativity, and flow of parts. You've got the crazy fitments, the wild paint jobs, the rare wheels or boutique parts - all flowing into a very diverse scene. :2cents:

[bigdare23]

Why it has to be an EF, huh?!? LOL


I get with you saying OP. It seems like everyone is concerned about what other people think rather than just enjoying the scene.

[BABY J]

The internet has drastically caused everything (not just car culture) to be meshed. Let me educate you younger people - I've been around long enuff to have built a few things before automotive web forums were dominant.

Back in the day, we went to shows. We got our inspiration from OURSELVES b/c we didn't get pics of other people's shit emailed to us on our mobile phones - that's bc we didn't have email or mobile phones - LOL. We'd sit on the front porch looking at the car for what seemed like hours and then something would click "I wonder what it would look like if I xyz'd this shit." It was PURELY random mods that came from "somewhere" we couldn't put a finger on. Maybe it was a custom air dam. Maybe it was different color door panel sections. What did that do? Well - that made it where when we DID go to a show you LITERALLY saw 30 (this was LARGE turnout back then) cars ALL w/ a different look. You LEARNED something at every show. You didnt' have "classes" b/c damn near every car was unique.

We HAD the guys w/ the weird offset wheels. We HAD the guys w/ the tucked bay. This shit is nothing new. I laugh at you fuckers that think tucked bays is something new. I just had dinner w/ Chase at Hooter's in Trussville last week and we were laughing about this. That shit was happening LONG ago. But back then it was 1 guy doing it.... and we thought "man that was kool/weird" and it was that one guys style and he rocked it, and he rocked it only. That same mod now --- you see 1 thread and instantly 200 guys want it (or 2000). It becomes a fad for 20 minutes then gets played out.

The less time you spend looking at other people's shit, you keep your innocense and you make your ideas more unique. But like the OP is suggesting - you have to not give a fuck about what the local populace thinks in order to make unique work.

Happy modding.

[S2KJD]

points both equally made imo from casa and nerd :goodjob:

this place helps me pass the time while at work :cheers:

[Elbow]

I saw "declining car scene" and didn't read anymore.

The car scene is not declining, it won't ever.

[TSiFTW]

Man this has been gone over and over and over sooo many times. It is as simple as this. There will always be innovators and nutswingers. Then the rich kids and the ones who want to hang and cant. Back 10 years ago it was the same thing. You had your cheap mods that everyone did, the only difference that I see is you had more noobs that would look at a car with a lot of time and money into it, that was done up correctly and say how bad ass that was. Now it seems as though if you cant afford to make a show car, you do exactly what everyone else who cant afford to either is doing, so you can fit in at the Varsity, and hate on the others.

I'm gonna end my rant with this. I'm passionate about car shows. I like building show cars, granted I do like to make them also go fast. I got into this whole thing for the purpose of building cars and showing them at shows. That said, I do not consider a stock exterior, stock interior car with a drop and wheels a show car, unless it is a restored classic. However if that is what you want then fine, so be it. It is not up to me to tell somone else how to build their car.

Edit. It is not forums fault. It is the peoples. I like having a forum where people interested in the same thing as me congregate.

[BABY J]

I saw "declining car scene" and didn't read anymore.

The car scene is not declining, it won't ever.

Is it really that hard to understand what he means? What he means is the unique/inspiration factor is all coming from the same places. The "web" has now become the judge and jury - when 17 years ago when I 1st got started you built what you wanted to buid - and whether it worked or not it was always interesting to look at. That's not the case anymore.

I'll give you an example : Import Alliance 2008... teens of cars roll up to Nashville. I have a yard full of shit to choose from... I say fuck it, I'm not a "show" guy ... so I'll just bring my 1st gen hatch. We roll through the gates - (mind you the ATL caravan was loaded w/ some hot local cars - and even hotter cars at the show). Don rolls up past dumped and JDMd out civics - cars w/ sick swaps - fresh painted RHD whateverthefucks... stops at my window and says "I want you in my booth - follow me." I'm like "WHAT!!!!!?" Then this happens...
:
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u59/MUSIC_MAESTRO/1G/IMG00811.jpg
:

How does this stock car w/ 30+ year old paint - low rent suspension setup - old ass 7in BMW round black lights and wal-mart seat covers pull this off next to a CFd out r34GTR??
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u59/MUSIC_MAESTRO/1G/Picture295.jpg

::


It's bc it was SIMPLE. It was not another snapshot of the other 200 Civics there. I went my OWN direction and pulled from inside - not from what the "scene" thinks is the hottest build to have, cookie-cutter engine combos that 6,000 other people have, "default Honda Civic" (rota) wheels - etc.

If you do this long enuff --- you will get to a day where you stop giving a fuck. People will think "man, Baby J has fallen off - he used to have kool shit". But the reality is, when you do it long enuff and stop giving a fuck, that's when you start building what the fuck YOU want to, THAT TIME is really when the "kool" projects start to come out. Not before. That's when things come full circle.

W/ that said I agree 199% w/ the OP!!! And I'm out this bitch.

[TSiFTW]

I love these threads for 1 reason. You see the people who really are passionate about cars, por their heart out about their passion.

[bimmergirrl]

to be honest.. i dont give a flying Freeeuck what people think of my taste/ cars.

Its mine, I love it and enjoy it so it doesnt matter. People bash and bash Mustangs, BMWs, hondas, whatever.. The ones who do that are just low lives sorry!

Ill take advice and think on it(its learning people!) and do what I think is best.
enouf said.

[CasadeWaffle]

First of all, I'm so tired of hearing this complaint about Hondas. Thats what color most Honda's come from the factory, and most kids don't have the $$$ to get a decent paint job. I can do without the "Yo me and my bro rattlecanned my EF last night" nonsense. Same goes for the drop and Rotas, you can do these things for fairly cheap, and still end up with the look you want. NBD.

As far as the larger scene goes, I think the forums have allowed for a much quicker spread of ideas, increased creativity, and flow of parts. You've got the crazy fitments, the wild paint jobs, the rare wheels or boutique parts - all flowing into a very diverse scene. :2cents:


Many of these "kids" give us car enthusiasts a bad name...In part because of their young age which = immature, aka ricers, in part because of their inexperience(but they're still cocky and think they know everything), and in part because you're right, they can't afford to do what they truly want to do/build so they go grab a cheap car like an old civic or 240 and mod it in a cheap way with knockoff parts to fit in with other ppl on forums that have the same ideology...then you're left with a bunch of kids posting all over a forum who basically have no street credibility and think they are hot shit and have a nice car.

Forums are good and help to bring us together, but forums also bring out the idiots and posers....

[JITB]

The Internet period has helped alot of people and brought new stuff to the table as far as the car scene.

all i can say is about this.. is its easy to tell who has their own sense of style. And a direction with their cars.. And it dont take much to put together a nice car......especially when its your own!

[quickdodge®]

The ones who do that are just low lives sorry!


As well as people who don't know much of what they are talking about? Later, QD.

[quickdodge®]

The internet has drastically caused everything (not just car culture) to be meshed. Let me educate you younger people - I've been around long enuff to have built a few things before automotive web forums were dominant.

Agreed. I modded my first car back in 1986. We had nothing but total imagination to go on. The only reason for copycats to be around was by accident. About this time, you did have the magazines popping up that were Left Coast based and you could get ideas from there. But for the most part, it was all on you and friends of yours that were beside you physically.


Back in the day, we went to shows. We got our inspiration from OURSELVES b/c we didn't get pics of other people's shit emailed to us on our mobile phones - that's bc we didn't have email or mobile phones - LOL. We'd sit on the front porch looking at the car for what seemed like hours and then something would click "I wonder what it would look like if I xyz'd this shit." It was PURELY random mods that came from "somewhere" we couldn't put a finger on.

Again, I agree. Only I had a celly back then. I did have instant messaging on the computer, but it was so primitive that by the time I got a message from the person I was talking to, the fad had passed (j/k). Again we had to dream up our own schemes.


We HAD the guys w/ the weird offset wheels. We HAD the guys w/ the tucked bay. This shit is nothing new. I laugh at you fuckers that think tucked bays is something new.

Offset wheels? Check. Wicked accent painting? Check. Tucked bay? No. I don't remember ever seeing tucked bays until the late 90s.

I'll give you an example of origins and dreaming up your own ideas for your car:

Back in 1987, I had my 1980 Datsun 210 wagon. I took an idea from an idea just coming on the scene and turned in inside out. Only I turned it outside in. In the late 80s, it was becoming popular for the mini-trucking scene to have a "splatter paint" theme on their truck bodies. It would be a two-tone paint or like flames on the hood of a hotrod. Well the flames would be made to look like the paint was dripping back instead of flames. Or the top part of the two-tone would be sprayed on to look like it was dripping down onto the bottom tone color. Well I took this and did it on the inside of the car along the door panels. I took newspaper and cut it out into drip shapes, secured them to the door and painted the top part the same color as the exterior of the car to give the impression of the outside paint dripping to the inside.

I also did a tail light "trick." I went to Kroger and bought a pack of sticker dots. They were about 1" in diameter. I placed them in rows and columns all over my taillights and sprayed the taillights the same color as the car. After removing the stickers, I was left with body colored dots all over my taillights.

This was just a case of looking at your car and dreaming about different looks. Now granted it's damn near impossible to dream up a unique look now, but there are ways to do it. If possible, start with a whole new canvas. Go out and grab a car that no one is modding. I really don't know what to say about the new stuff. I can only reminisce about the old days. Later, QD.

[1SICKLEX]

The internet has drastically caused everything (not just car culture) to be meshed. Let me educate you younger people - I've been around long enuff to have built a few things before automotive web forums were dominant.

Back in the day, we went to shows. We got our inspiration from OURSELVES b/c we didn't get pics of other people's shit emailed to us on our mobile phones - that's bc we didn't have email or mobile phones - LOL. We'd sit on the front porch looking at the car for what seemed like hours and then something would click "I wonder what it would look like if I xyz'd this shit." It was PURELY random mods that came from "somewhere" we couldn't put a finger on. Maybe it was a custom air dam. Maybe it was different color door panel sections. What did that do? Well - that made it where when we DID go to a show you LITERALLY saw 30 (this was LARGE turnout back then) cars ALL w/ a different look. You LEARNED something at every show. You didnt' have "classes" b/c damn near every car was unique.

We HAD the guys w/ the weird offset wheels. We HAD the guys w/ the tucked bay. This shit is nothing new. I laugh at you fuckers that think tucked bays is something new. I just had dinner w/ Chase at Hooter's in Trussville last week and we were laughing about this. That shit was happening LONG ago. But back then it was 1 guy doing it.... and we thought "man that was kool/weird" and it was that one guys style and he rocked it, and he rocked it only. That same mod now --- you see 1 thread and instantly 200 guys want it (or 2000). It becomes a fad for 20 minutes then gets played out.

The less time you spend looking at other people's shit, you keep your innocense and you make your ideas more unique. But like the OP is suggesting - you have to not give a fuck about what the local populace thinks in order to make unique work.

Happy modding.

So on the money.

My 2 cents, Internet is a GIFT and a CURSE. People have stated the reasons why.

People have always had opinions on cars, this is nothing new.

[1SICKLEX]

Oh and last I looked there was a forum for ANYTHING and any car and style
Like clean JDM there is a forum
You like VIP style, there is a forum
You like rice, there is a forum
You like monkeys buttfucking rabid dogs in the backseat of your car, there is a forum

So if you don't like it, just hang out where your style hangs out at and stop worrying why people don't like what you do.

[BABY J]

Yeah we had tucked bays. Remem I am
1) a v8 guy - lol (1st car was a notchback that I still own)
2) an ex mini-trucker.

So shaved everything and tucks has been around for AGES. Old hot rod guys were stuffing SBCs in shit and tucking the electronics for ages. It's "fairly" new for Asian cars but it was prevelant in the late 80s.

[quickdodge®]

Yeah we had tucked bays. Remem I am
1) a v8 guy - lol (1st car was a notchback that I still own)
2) an ex mini-trucker.

So shaved everything and tucks has been around for AGES. Old hot rod guys were stuffing SBCs in shit and tucking the electronics for ages. It's "fairly" new for Asian cars but it was prevelant in the late 80s.

Well if you're talking about hotrods, then you got me because I didn't know shit about anything hotrod back then. But as far as mini-trucking and import cars, that's a different story. Later, QD.

[BABY J]

^^ Fa sho son!!

[quickdodge®]

^^ Fa sho son!!

I've never been an engine person, lolol. Never paid much attention to them. As long as it runs, I'm good. So I will say that I don't know 100% that tucks weren't done then as I'm not 100% sure. I just don't recall it being a big thing. I never heard it being talked about in the circle, if you will. I'll look at my old 80s and 90s pics to see what I have to see if I'm talking out my mouth or my vagina. Later, QD.

[TSiFTW]

Minitruckers have been doin tucked bays for a while. They just didn't call it tucked as far as I know. We just always called it hiding wires and vacuum hoses. LOL That was one of the first things I did to my Ranger and my Mighty Max.

[BABY J]

We didn't call it tucking. We called it shaved. if you had a shaved bay it was "common knowledge" in the mini scene to know that you don't shave w/ out tucking.

[HypnoToad]

idk bout the scene and really dont care,i used to have a camaro where u dont have all these little fads and stupid stuff.

now i bought a 240sx,im deff not a fan of drifting or pretty much any wide known 240 thing....i do what i want with it and could careless bout what the "scene" thinks.

[chaseamundo]

" I just had dinner w/ Chase at Hooter's in Trussville last week and we were laughing about this"


yo where at in bham you live? i pass trussville every day

[BABY J]

^^ I don't. I was just there on business and hung out w/ Chase, Brandon, Mike and a lot of the B'ham guys. I'm the guy wo came up w/ the Motorvations BBQ / Dyno Day a while back.

[DeeAOne]

Baby J, OP, and QD agreed 100%.

this is the exact reason i went and got something totally different from the normal. people either love it or hate it. the ones that love it, i thank them or whatever. the guys that hate it, oh well its not their car.

the thing thats funny to me is that some of the guys who say my car is nice or clean, i highly doubt they would ever get out of their honda and get something different, because they would be scared of what others would say.

do what you want guys! :yes:

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i143/Yankee4life91/SDC10181.jpg

i loved my car since day one. i drove it like this for quite some time. the laughs i would get, i would just smile and keep on going with my day. thats what its all about.

[J-ROCK]

^ louis they werent laughing at your car they were laughin at you! lol but on a serious note your car has come all the way and will be very unigue once you do the swap

[GAtegs]

There is a small problem with all of this. What happens if you actually LIKE what is popular and "in". When you do it, are you "selling out" or "copying" the last guy that did it? Are you being unoriginal for doing to your car what YOU think looks good even though thousands of people have already done it?

I think it's unfair to say that people care too much what other people think. Maybe it's because I am one of those people that did to my car what everyone else did or maybe it's because I am one of those people that did to my car what everyone else did BECAUSE IT IS WHAT I LIKED.

People tell me all the time, "man, I wish my Integra looked as good as yours" or "man, your Integra is my inspiration"...it's not because they want to copy me or because they can't think for themselves, it's because it fucking looks good and who are you guys to say otherwise?

I am not trying to start shit here or tell anyone that their opinion on the subject is wrong, I am just saying you have to be careful about what you are saying. When you have (for example) millions of Honda enthusiasts across the globe, people are bound to replicate what other people have done...it's mathematically impossible for everyone to be original.

[GAtegs]

By the way, this is my car...

It's a Honda, it's shaved, it's lowered, it's tinted, it's boosted, it's lipped, and it's sitting on Rota's...alllll things that have been done MILLIONS of times before I did it, but I did it because I liked it.

http://gategs.com/random/pictures/integra_sale/Integra_01.jpg

[quickdodge®]

Are you being unoriginal for doing to your car what YOU think looks good even though thousands of people have already done it?

Yes. Even though you are doing something that everyone has already done because you like it, you are being unoriginal. True. But it doesn't mean you can't do it.

[QUOTE=GAtegs;38513565] I think it's unfair to say that people care too much what other people think.

I disagree to a point. Online forums have brought it to the point that people DO CARE what others think. The ones that care the most are the ones that get mad if someone says something negative about their car.


People tell me all the time, "man, I wish my Integra looked as good as yours" or "man, your Integra is my inspiration"...it's not because they want to copy me or because they can't think for themselves, it's because it fucking looks good and who are you guys to say otherwise?

I do agree here. If you like the way a car looks and want to emulate it to an extent, go for it. And who am I to say otherwise? Exactly. I used to be bad about popping in a thread and saying a car looked like shit. Now a I have a tasteful attitude about it. If I say a negative about a car, I always try to follow up with a positive; "I don't care for the paint, but the wheels look great." And I don't blatantly bash it; "Paint looks like shit."



When you have (for example) millions of Honda enthusiasts across the globe, people are bound to replicate what other people have done...it's mathematically impossible for everyone to be original.

Impossible is correct, sir, lolol. Later, QD.

[BABY J]

By the way, this is my car...

It's a Honda, it's shaved, it's lowered, it's tinted, it's boosted, it's lipped, and it's sitting on Rota's...alllll things that have been done MILLIONS of times before I did it, but I did it because I liked it.




^^ It also works b/c it's SIMPLE. Every1 gets it. The EXECUTION of yours works. Now look at this one:

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p106/unzi08/integra-1.jpg

Hmmmmmmmmmmm

[GAtegs]

^^ It also works b/c it's SIMPLE. Every1 gets it. The EXECUTION of yours works. Now look at this one:
Hmmmmmmmmmmm

Maybe he is trying to be original by trying to do what looks good, but half assing it...who knows?

I see what you guys are saying and I don't COMPLETELY disagree with that has been said in this thread...my main point that I am trying to get across is that there are entirely too many people modding cars around the world for everyone to be original.

By the way, when I bought my Integra about 7 or 8 years ago, I bought it because it was a hatchback and I had plans of having the most bangingist sound system in the back. I was also looking at EK hatches and Eclipses when I bought it. Is that original? No. People having been building huge sound systems in cars for decades now. I was not looking to copy those people, it's just what I liked at the time.

People change. I changed. I did the bass for a while and then I started doing other stuff. I have now done it and ready to move on to the next thing. Shit, a couple years ago I bought an Escalade...is it because I am unoriginal and I was trying to be like every rapper in the world 4 years ago? Or is it because I liked the vehicle?

The next project I want is an e30 m3. Thousands of people have that car...am I unoriginal for wanting it too? No, I just like it.

And QD, thanks for changing your attitude towards responding to people/threads on this forum. About 3 or 4 years ago, YOU inspired the text in my signature :-)

[BABY J]

Maybe he is trying to be original by trying to do what looks good, but half assing it...who knows?

I see what you guys are saying and I don't COMPLETELY disagree with that has been said in this thread...my main point that I am trying to get across is that there are entirely too many people modding cars around the world for everyone to be original.

By the way, when I bought my Integra about 7 or 8 years ago, I bought it because it was a hatchback and I had plans of having the most bangingist sound system in the back. I was also looking at EK hatches and Eclipses when I bought it. Is that original? No. People having been building huge sound systems in cars for decades now. I was not looking to copy those people, it's just what I liked at the time.

People change. I changed. I did the bass for a while and then I started doing other stuff. I have now done it and ready to move on to the next thing. Shit, a couple years ago I bought an Escalade...is it because I am unoriginal and I was trying to be like every rapper in the world 4 years ago? Or is it because I liked the vehicle?

The next project I want is an e30 m3. Thousands of people have that car...am I unoriginal for wanting it too? No, I just like it.

And QD, thanks for changing your attitude towards responding to people/threads on this forum. About 3 or 4 years ago, YOU inspired the text in my signature :-)

If you look at the direction of my posts I stayed in line w/ what the OP started -- how the WEB has influenced car culture (and all culture)... not just on originality. Originality is something that you are born with or not - not much else can change that over the course of your life. Some people are copy-cats. Some people ONLY buy xyz b/c it was in the latest Honda-tuning or a 600 page thread on H-T. There are others that carve their own path. There is no right/wrong - there is just the observations of how things are playing out.

[Tracy]

I'd like to say that this IS ImportATLANTA and a lot of us live in ATLANTA or the surrounding area, so a lot of us DO know each other :)

[GAtegs]

If you look at the direction of my posts I stayed in line w/ what the OP started -- how the WEB has influenced car culture (and all culture)... not just on originality. Originality is something that you are born with or not - not much else can change that over the course of your life. Some people are copy-cats. Some people ONLY buy xyz b/c it was in the latest Honda-tuning or a 600 page thread on H-T. There are others that carve their own path. There is no right/wrong - there is just the observations of how things are playing out.

The web didn't influence car culture, the people using it did. 10 years ago you had to go to a car show to see what people were doing, now you can get more info about what others are doing while sitting in your underwear at home.

Yea, the thread started out talking about how the web changed the culture, while this is true, it is not JUST the web, the web just made it happen faster. Eventually everyone has tried everything and the rest of us can choose what it is we like and start doing our thing.

Yes, you can still be original, but these days, originality comes with a price that most of us can't afford. Money is a HUGE factor in what we are talking about here. That Integra you posted, for example...I guarantee the car would look a shit ton better than it does if the owner could afford it. Very few people CHOOSE that their car is going to look like shit...they start doing what they can afford and they make chances as finances allow. Shit, if my car didn't get keyed a few years ago, it would still be Milano pink.

I was getting my buddy's car tuned at balanced a couple weeks ago and I was talking to Ed. He was telling me that someone had called him a couple days prior to come out a tune a Miata with a CTS-V motor in it. Now THAT's original...but the average member of a forum like this cannot afford to do something like that...so what do they do instead? They have their valvecover repainted or put a different set of Rota's on the car.

[BABY J]

The web didn't influence car culture, the people using it did. 10 years ago you had to go to a car show to see what people were doing, now you can get more info about what others are doing while sitting in your underwear at home.

This statement proves my point, not yours by the way. :)

We can agree to disagree. When we went to car shows 10 and 15 years ago we didn't ask "hey, what do you guys think about... " or "man.. check out my...." - WE DID IT. WE ROCKED IT. END OF DISCUSSION.

Now enter the internet - look on this site. How many "what wheels should I get?" threads do you see? The web has INDEED shifted our culture. If I am spending $1200 on some wheels/tires or even $12 of my hard-earned money I don't give a fuck about what any1 on ANY web forum "thinks" about it.


Yea, the thread started out talking about how the web changed the culture, while this is true, it is not JUST the web, the web just made it happen faster. Eventually everyone has tried everything and the rest of us can choose what it is we like and start doing our thing.

You can take that approach if you like - and actually it appears that you have - but your car is EXECUTED properly. There are 100 DC2s in ATL that have similiar mods - many w/ "better" mods - but are poorly executed. That is the difference.


Yes, you can still be original, but these days, originality comes with a price that most of us can't afford. Money is a HUGE factor in what we are talking about here. That Integra you posted, for example...I guarantee the car would look a shit ton better than it does if the owner could afford it. Very few people CHOOSE that their car is going to look like shit...they start doing what they can afford and they make chances as finances allow. Shit, if my car didn't get keyed a few years ago, it would still be Milano pink.

Originality doesn't come at a price. Look at the Mazda in this thread. It's a KOOL ass car and if he has more than $3000 in it it's a miracle. Innovative guys are going to by 3 yards of fabric for $9 and making moves. A box of Sharpies for $4.00 and making ART. Bulk rubber from Lowe's and making air-dams... $2.76 worth of paint from AutoZone and making beautiful valve-covers. The only thing that originality costs is courage sir. Sure if you have the beans to throw at it sure go for it. Tuners are PUSSIES. Scared to take chances b/c they get CRUCIFIED on the web. Scared to be the only guy at the V w/ a stock block Civic Si. Look at these threads "well if I were you I'd just sell it and get something faster" - CRUSHING peolpe's dreams. That didn't happen when I got started. The web is the new judge.


I was getting my buddy's car tuned at balanced a couple weeks ago and I was talking to Ed. He was telling me that someone had called him a couple days prior to come out a tune a Miata with a CTS-V motor in it. Now THAT's original...but the average member of a forum like this cannot afford to do something like that...so what do they do instead? They have their valvecover repainted or put a different set of Rota's on the car.

LS powered Miata is nothing original by the way. The mod ford motors have been dropped in them for years, as well as SBCs and LSx's. RARE, sure. Original --- nope. The most original one I saw was actually on PINKS and had an rwd sr20 on boost - prob the only one in the country if not the world.

There are many ways to skin a fish - your car, while not "unique" per say is executed correctly w/ the same parts that I see everyday - yet yours stands out. It's not ricey - and it works - it's a GROWN MAN'S (mature) eye to put it together the way you have. Kudos.

[GAtegs]

We CAN agree to disagree, but I am not really disagreeing, I am just amending...it's hard to put into words...there is no doubt that the web influenced the car culture...it influenced EVERY culture you can think of...I just believe that the web exponentially sped up what was inevitable. Feel me?

[quickdodge®]

About 3 or 4 years ago, YOU inspired the text in my signature :-)

I'm glad I could help, lolol.


When we went to car shows 10 and 15 years ago we didn't ask "hey, what do you guys think about... " or "man.. check out my...." - WE DID IT. WE ROCKED IT. END OF DISCUSSION.

Very much true. We didn't personally show our cars at shows. Our cars showed themselves. We didn't ask people what they thought of it or what we should do next. We thought about it and did it.

And not only do you see the "Hey IA, what wheels should I get" threads, but the "what do you think about..." threads are everywhere. Hail I even did it in the OS section. Of course I wasn't asking what should I do, but what order should I do what I'm doing in.

Bottom line on the web and car culture: The web did not create unoriginal works on cars. People did that. It would have made it to this point eventually. The web just sped up the process. Later, QD.

[BABY J]

We CAN agree to disagree, but I am not really disagreeing, I am just amending...it's hard to put into words...there is no doubt that the web influenced the car culture...it influenced EVERY culture you can think of...I just believe that the web exponentially sped up what was inevitable. Feel me?

I do! :goodjob: That's why I like going to little farmtown car shows. These guys are working too much to hop online ... lol. To see what they come up with is good stuff - and it's SIMPLE. I passed a Corvair crew heading N on i65 on my way here (I'm in Indy right now, heading back tonight actually) but as I passed these 60 - 70 year olds going 50 in the right lane in a caravan every single car was "different" and there was at least 15 of them. Subtle things that a young tuner these days would miss... no offense to the kids but a lot of them just don't have the eye yet - that will develop over time. But I can close my eyes and pick any 15 Civics in ATL and at least 3 will be carbon copies of ea other.

Here is an example. Go to the Rota website :

http://www.rotawheels.com/wheelcatalog.asp

Tell me why there are Rotas that I have NEVER seen before? You know why? B/c every1 rocks the SAME 5 sets. LOL. "The web" or "the scene" has determined which ones are "kool" and if you're caught w/ the polished Slips you're the man. But don't be caught DEAD running the Rota Whateverthefucks though. :D OH NO!!!! SUICIDE!!! BANNED FOR LIFE!!! Find me 2 people in all of atl w/ the w/ the Speed 5s. Not gonna happen. :) And these are more "unique" and unseen IMO. I can see these in many colors ROCKING THE FUCKING HOUSE.
http://www.rotawheels.com/images/products/speed5_1.jpg

People are trying wayyyy too hard these days to "fit something" and it sucks.

[GAtegs]

Bottom line on the web and car culture: The web did not create unoriginal works on cars. People did that. It would have made it to this point eventually. The web just sped up the process. Later, QD.

This is all I am saying.


I do! :goodjob: That's why I like going to little farmtown car shows. These guys are working too much to hop online ... lol. To see what they come up with is good stuff - and it's SIMPLE. I passed a Corvair crew heading N on i65 on my way here (I'm in Indy right now, heading back tonight actually) but as I passed these 60 - 70 year olds going 50 in the right lane in a caravan every single car was "different" and there was at least 15 of them. Subtle things that a young tuner these days would miss... no offense to the kids but a lot of them just don't have the eye yet - that will develop over time. But I can close my eyes and pick any 15 Civics in ATL and at least 3 will be carbon copies of ea other.

Here is an example. Go to the Rota website :

http://www.rotawheels.com/wheelcatalog.asp

Tell me why there are Rotas that I have NEVER seen before? You know why? B/c every1 rocks the SAME 5 sets. LOL. "The web" or "the scene" has determined which ones are "kool" and if you're caught w/ the polished Slips you're the man. But don't be caught DEAD running the Rota Whateverthefucks though. :D OH NO!!!! SUICIDE!!! BANNED FOR LIFE!!! Find me 2 people in all of atl w/ the w/ the Speed 5s. Not gonna happen. :) And these are more "unique" and unseen IMO.
http://www.rotawheels.com/images/products/speed5_1.jpg

People are trying wayyyy too hard these days to "fit something" and it sucks.

No doubt they are unique and unseen, but at the same time, they're fuckin ugly and that's why you don't see them. Same reason people are not rocking the new Nissan Scion xA or xB with the weird back window...it's not because people told them not to, it's because they are fuckin ugly.

[BABY J]

This is all I am saying.



No doubt they are unique and unseen, but at the same time, they're fuckin ugly and that's why you don't see them. Same reason people are not rocking the new Nissan Scion xA or xB with the weird back window...it's not because people told them not to, it's because they are fuckin ugly.

I'm gonna buy these and put them on something I got coming. I just decided that 3 seconds ago.:goodjob: LOL.

[quickdodge®]

No doubt they are unique and unseen, but at the same time, they're fuckin ugly and that's why you don't see them. Same reason people are not rocking the new Nissan Scion xA or xB with the weird back window...it's not because people told them not to, it's because they are fuckin ugly.

Here's a twist on your words, homey. You said a couple of posts ago, who are we to decide what is ugly or not. Just like beauty, ugly is in the eyes of the beholder. And this is where web forums greatly help influence what goes on around us. Check it:

Baby J posted that wheel up. He likes it and would love to get a set. Before, though, he posts it up on IA and asks what the populace thinks about them. 80% say NO! Ugly as fuck they are. So Baby J doesn't get the wheels he likes because he doesn't want to be laughed at or poked at. This forum has just influenced him to go with what other people like and not what he likes.

See where I went with that? People, unfortunately, do care what others think on a forum. It happens all day on here and across the nation on web forums. Later, QD.

[GAtegs]

I agree, but in your scenario, it's up to Baby J to grow a sack and get them because it is what HE likes and what HE wants to put on HIS car. Just because I and the other 80% think they are ugly doesn't mean he can't get 'em, but he DID ask for the opinion...it's up to him to decide if he wants to make his wheel decision based on what we think or what he likes.

Like I said, I am not disagreeing with anyone here...just saying it's not the web's fault...the web just made it easier.

[BABY J]

I agree, but in your scenario, it's up to Baby J to grow a sack and get them because it is what HE likes and what HE wants to put on HIS car. Just because I and the other 80% think they are ugly doesn't mean he can't get 'em, but he DID ask for the opinion...it's up to him to decide if he wants to make his wheel decision based on what we think or what he likes.

Like I said, I am not disagreeing with anyone here...just saying it's not the web's fault...the web just made it easier.

I don't remem asking for an opinion. I stated an observation that there are only 4 or 5 Rotas that the masses rocks. I never cared for any else's opinion - I'm too seasoned for that. :)

But I get where you're coming from.

[quickdodge®]

I agree, but in your scenario, it's up to Baby J to grow a sack and get them because it is what HE likes and what HE wants to put on HIS car. Just because I and the other 80% think they are ugly doesn't mean he can't get 'em, but he DID ask for the opinion...it's up to him to decide if he wants to make his wheel decision based on what we think or what he likes.

Like I said, I am not disagreeing with anyone here...just saying it's not the web's fault...the web just made it easier.

No disagreement here, either. I'm just using your analysis and thoughts to show how people do care what other people say on a message board. you're completely right in that Baby J should let the sack drop. But the majority of the people won't because they don't want to be laughed at.

Why?

Because they care.

+91 to you for a good discussion. Later, QD.

[GAtegs]

So we can all agree:

1) Yes, the intArw3bZ influenced car culture, but in a way that it was going to be influenced eventually anyway...

2) People need to care less about what others think and do what they like and what makes them happy (unless of course what makes them happy is doing what others think is cool).

3) I'm kind of a cool guy.

[BABY J]

LOL -you're kool. But only if the internet thinks so... just make a quick poll if you want the general idiotic populace to decide for you - LOL ;)

[quickdodge®]

So we can all agree:

1) Yes, the intArw3bZ influenced car culture, but in a way that it was going to be influenced eventually anyway...

2) People need to care less about what others think and do what they like and what makes them happy (unless of course what makes them happy is doing what others think is cool).

3) I'm a kind of a cool guy.

Well, two out of three isn't bad, lolol. Later, QD.

[GAtegs]

LOLOLOL

[GAtegs]

I don't care what people think (see sig) so it's okay :-)

[1SICKLEX]

Well the web is also good for direction. For instance, you have O.Gs that want to help people who do have questions. Take wheels for instance...if you don't know anything about wheels, the internet can help you ask people that do. It is not that you are "copying" you might want a quality wheel and don't know anything about it.

Is "copying" a bad thing? I've modeled one vehicle after a guy I admired b/c I thought it looked perfect. To be respectful I asked is it okay if I go with a very similar theme. I was young and didn't know nearly as much as I did now, so the internet helped us both out. He got to share knowledge, I got to modify in a way I felt matched my personality.

Good discussion here. :)

[BABY J]

I think it's a great discussion.

[JITB]

I dont mind copying other peoples ideas/style. thats the whole purpose of being on auto forums to get ideas and help from others. i dont like how the internet has turned into a popularity contest. And how it makes it ok to be closeminded. And it almost makes thinking outside the box, and going your own direction a crime.

[teh_mugen18]

Idunno... personally, i just build what i like. :dunno:

[D3UC3S]

^^yes! Those rotas in bronze, shake the damn trees J!

Great thread guys! I personally enjoy feedback but would never think twice to a suggestion to change what im doing. I have a civic but not because it is what is "cool"...its the car i grew up in and will alwyas be partial to them.

1983-1989: dad had a yellow civic with a black racing stripe...
1989-1994: totalled the yellow civic(me in it:eek:) and scooped a seafoam green 1300
1994-1998: dad sold the 1300 and got an eg hatchback stock..no radio..no ac...no power...
1999-present: i did the mini truck thing for a while and then went and found me a civic in 2000

Honda has been with me for life and no internet forum can change that, regardless of whats "played out" or "unoriginal". Im doin me and thats all that matters.

[chaseamundo]

^^ I don't. I was just there on business and hung out w/ Chase, Brandon, Mike and a lot of the B'ham guys. I'm the guy wo came up w/ the Motorvations BBQ / Dyno Day a while back.


oh ok, you know ross williams, tommy with the dc2, blake yeager or any of them?

[BABY J]

Yeah - met them all at the SSIDE Whataburger meets - along w/ Pancake and company. Mention b18b wagovan and they will know who I am.

[5speed]

I would have to say I'm with Baby J and QD on this one. The Rota's are pretty nice Baby J, get em. The only reasons I have posted threads about which car I should get was just for direction. I didn't have much knowledge on the 240z or SC400 (common problems/costs of parts and maintenance) but I loved the way they looked and I don't see them often around East ATL. I got hell for contemplating an SR20DET in the 240z bc it originally comes with a 6 cylinder. I honestly didn't give a fuck what others thought bc I liked the idea of a lightweight engine in it and didn't plan on have it beyond 350hp. It wouldn't have been anything new but it would have been different to things around this area. People even "threatened" me over the internet like fucking bitches over it, and I honestly didn't care. :2up:

[chaseamundo]

Yeah - met them all at the SSIDE Whataburger meets - along w/ Pancake and company. Mention b18b wagovan and they will know who I am.


haha damn, small worls lol

[CasadeWaffle]

Here's a twist on your words, homey. You said a couple of posts ago, who are we to decide what is ugly or not. Just like beauty, ugly is in the eyes of the beholder. And this is where web forums greatly help influence what goes on around us. Check it:

Baby J posted that wheel up. He likes it and would love to get a set. Before, though, he posts it up on IA and asks what the populace thinks about them. 80% say NO! Ugly as fuck they are. So Baby J doesn't get the wheels he likes because he doesn't want to be laughed at or poked at. This forum has just influenced him to go with what other people like and not what he likes.

See where I went with that? People, unfortunately, do care what others think on a forum. It happens all day on here and across the nation on web forums. Later, QD.


Basically yes :goodjob:

I personally like those wheels...and baby j speaks the truth