Ever regret modifying a car?

jphanna · 13-03-2009, 09:50 AM

Is there decision you made to modify a car that you wish you never did?

For me in the 80’s I had one of those wedge front celica’s (please don’t ban from this site now!!!), you know the ones that had a rating of 56kw , well I had the idea of installing one of those import japanese twin cam engines. the orig motor was running perfectly at the time and it had only 50,000km so I decided to give that to the mechanic!

The car served it purpose as a ‘pose mobile’ back then with even a Suzuki mightboy being able to blow one of those into the weeds…but with a twin cam that was going to fix all those embarrassing traffic light drags.

Well that motor never ran right. I went to at least 6 different mechanics to try and iron out a massive flat spot and it never went away, also there was a driveline vibration that could be felt at any speed, and the valves kept receding into the head so it always needed shims to correct that problem so you get the message that the whole idea was a disaster.

Anyone have a disaster story you regret….

**ebxr8240** · 13-03-2009, 10:41 AM

When its properly you don't sell it and buy new cars. While "the beast" sits in the garage.. While the newer cars sit out in carport..
Then family come along with their own cars..
Sheesh !!
It's a real effert sometimes getting the car out of garage at times with many cars parked in driveway behind it..

Cookie-XR8 · 13-03-2009, 10:55 AM

the Au nearly 20k gone and i still cant drive it, should of just brought a brand new car,

Wally · 13-03-2009, 01:10 PM

There's is something to be said in just accepting a car for what it is. I think there is always a constant irritation that the modifications could be better.

I know many guys who have gone the full house route and then spent money to undo a lot of it for better driveability, reliability and fuel economy.

Having said that I do like taking tired looking cars and making them into sleepers.... it's cheap and no need for bling.

Fev · 13-03-2009, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BOOSTED-AU

the Au nearly 20k gone and i still cant drive it, should of just brought a brand new car,

i reckon you'll feel much better once you can drive it around, blow the doors off HSV's and read about it in PFM

jphanna · 13-03-2009, 01:47 PM

i think that the reason we do stuff like this is that you gotta have a passion in life. it proves that you are not just 'making up the numbers' in the human race, like camry drivers are....

only problem is if you dont know what you are doing (me!), you get burned..badly.

Cookie-XR8 · 13-03-2009, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fev

i reckon you'll feel much better once you can drive it around, blow the doors off HSV's and read about it in PFM

i can drive it sometimes, but just afraid its gunna detonate or not start again, lol

i doubt it will ever be in pfm

Jondalar · 13-03-2009, 02:00 PM

Yeah I regretted modifying my first "real" car (not counting the Morris 1100 I had while still in school). It was a HG GTS 186S Monaro, I was very proud of it at the time and put fat tyres (which didnt clear the guards and so I had to modify the springs AND the guards as well) and alloys on it, had the motor reconditioned with custom cam, then traded it when I met a gf living across town and lost the lot in terms of the mods cost. Put me off modding cars for life as you never get it back if you sell, and I can't afford to keep...

Iggypoppin' · 13-03-2009, 02:01 PM

My biggest regret is NOT modifying when I had the chance.

jphanna · 13-03-2009, 02:07 PM

i remember before i spent $3000.00 in 1987 (big bikkies sort of then?!) on changing the motor that another guy i worked with said i will regret it because it will stuff the car etc etc, i thought yeah right old man, move over for the new exciting generation....

now im telling my kids that when they buy a car not to touch it.....

big_waity · 13-03-2009, 02:21 PM

Every single time.... still doing it though...

GreenMachine · 13-03-2009, 02:22 PM

I had a reasonably stock ZH Fairlane with a rebuilt 351 that ran like a clock... Could hop in it and drive to Sydney, take it to work, do anything... Then I decided to try to make it fast. 4 years, tens of thousands of dollars, a few gearboxes and carbies down the road, I pulled it apart and got rid of it. Fail.

Main mistake was having just enough money that I thought I could build it the way I wanted it, but in fact only having enough to do 3/4's of a proper job on everything.

gozza · 13-03-2009, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jphanna

i think that the reason we do stuff like this is that you gotta have a passion in life. it proves that you are not just 'making up the numbers' in the human race, like camry drivers are....

yes... because being a car enthusiast is the only thing someone can be passionate about, and the only thing that brings meaning to a life.

BPXR6T · 13-03-2009, 04:10 PM

Yeah, dropping a 351C in a factory original XT ute. When I got the ute it was like a time warp. Everything factory original. I stuffed the V8 in it, a C4, B&M shifter, twin system, brakes, lowered, etc. It was more fun driving it with three on the tree and pre cross flow six. Even if it was slow...

svo347 · 13-03-2009, 04:26 PM

Yeah my XR8 poured $$ into it, cracked a crank journal, went back to std stroke now am selling it for $7k ono. Heartbreaking really but life goes on

Rev28K · 13-03-2009, 04:57 PM

I’ve owned 6 cars over the years. I own 3 ½ at the moment with another one being purchased this year.

All of my cars have been modified and sprinted and I don’t see any reason to stop this.

Road_Warrior · 13-03-2009, 05:33 PM

Yep. I regret spending good money building a 302W to insert into a 6cyl XW Falcon, when the car itself was a complete and utter pile of sh1te. Sold the car about a year later for about $50 more than what the conversion cost me

:

Cookie-XR8 · 13-03-2009, 07:14 PM

but i enjoy it, just wish it was more then what it is

jphanna · 13-03-2009, 07:24 PM

i think that modified cars are great if

1. you have the capability to do the work yourself.

2. its not your everyday car that you can afford to have in pieces for a long time, while you do the work properly

3. you dont have kids/wife/mortgage competing for your $$$$$$

4. its going to be worth the effort in the END.....

5. you have a daily driver if its going to be real hot.

SSbaby · 13-03-2009, 09:25 PM

Yes. I won't be modifying my new car ever again.

Although it was fun at first, I quickly tired of the increased engine noise and often minor driveability issues. The clutch needed to be ridden for a smooth launch. The suspension also got a work over and was too firm for everyday driving. It cornered like a roller skate but at the end of the day... you sometimes wish you left the car stock.

Mark351 · 13-03-2009, 10:05 PM

I hope I don't!

xls3v · 13-03-2009, 10:10 PM

77 mini started as a 1100
ended up with a 1993 1300 and all my cash for many years as a youngster
spent a long time on tow trucks

killed my mate hq with 253 tho that was good

duaned · 13-03-2009, 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SSbaby

Yes. I won't be modifying my new car ever again.

Although it was fun at first, I quickly tired of the increased engine noise and often minor driveability issues. The clutch needed to be ridden for a smooth launch. The suspension also got a work over and was too firm for everyday driving. It cornered like a roller skate but at the end of the day... you sometimes wish you left the car stock.

I feel the same way. The fact is I threw a hell of a lot of money away on the old AU2 and after all this, all the extra noise, rattles, underbody scrapes etc gave me reasons not to enjoy driving it. I have grown up now, better things in life to spend money on!

**Kingsley** · 13-03-2009, 10:22 PM

25 years ago I wouldn't have been able to help myself. Every car I owned got modified. These days I spend more money trying to take them back to original.

motorcycles4eva · 13-03-2009, 10:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kingy351

25 years ago I wouldn't have been able to help myself. Every car I owned got modified. These days I spend more money trying to take them back to original.

lol.. how true!!!

madmelon · 13-03-2009, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jphanna

it proves that you are not just 'making up the numbers' in the human race, like camry drivers are....

I resent that...

...and the Camry I now drive. Sure it's a reliable car, but it's very very boring. I can see why people say Camry's are for people who have given up on life...

Anyway...mods I regret include taking the huge clutch fan off the Jag and putting a thermofan on. It certainly made it one hell of alot quieter but it never once overheated with the clutch fan on, even in 45 degrees. The thermo fan had me worried on more than one occasion and then it just stopped working one day. I shoulda slapped in a set of EF/EL thermos- woulda been heaps beter than every other option. Lesson Learned.

jphanna · 14-03-2009, 07:46 AM

Mate i apologise if i upset you. i owned a corolla for 10 years straight, and that was my only car!

maybe a better way of putting it is that when a person makes a decision to buy a new (newer?) car and it is a falcon or commodore, it is more likely that they are more enthuthiastic about how they see themselves in the motoring world. Sure you will get electrical glitches and quality issues with a falcon and commodore that a camry wont have, but its the feeling of driving an aussie traditional good looking rear wheel drive car sports sedan that makes enthusiasts overlook the reliability and safeness of a camry.

I recon if toyota brought out a rear wheel drive Aurion it may be taken more seriously by enthusiasts.

brenx · 14-03-2009, 08:07 AM

About 15 years ago I modified my 2lt Escort. It went well but was no longer reliable enough. I got up every morning wondering what will break or will it start today. I learned never to modify your daily driver and haven't since. My modified car sits and waits for special occasions, days off or when my daily at the mechanics. Then it's time to drive the modified car to work.

MR.BA.GT.332 · 14-03-2009, 08:24 AM

i dont think im ever going to BUILD a car ever again, cant help myself doing some mods tho to others.... the ups and downs ive gone thru with the 2nd rebuild of the XA its had me really over the whole deal.... the XA was a one owner when i got her, fixed her all up got her looking sweet as a nut with a fresh paintjob and interior, slotted in a fresher 250 as the original had 425000km or so on it and she gave up on me a week after getting her, back then the XA was only 250/3 on the tree/borgy (later celica 5speed) which i loved driving with 3 on the tree more, was just fun!!! ANYWAY...went to the nats, got a head full of ideas with my then mate/spraypainter....we got back and i decided to "fix a couple of things" which then turned around to be a back to bare metal full stripdown, new everything, a few differnt engine combo ideas through out the build such as a 250 2v, then a 250 turbo was about to happen (car be finished if i kept the turbo motor) to now settling with the 466 big block and a budget thats just been blown to hell since.... ive already decided that if i ever get another car i will get one already done/rebuilt and maybe just add a couple of personal touchs.... ive found it quite stresful at times and the money lost over the yrs sometimes isnt worth it IMO but....we do it for the love of it so who cares.... but sometimes hard to swallow knowing $20+k has been swallowed in just the motor/box/diff and wondering when its going to stop, cause once its built there will always be something i can then 'modify' ;)

**TUF_302** · 14-03-2009, 03:16 PM

The most modifiying i've done is add a bigger exhaust and wheels, and lower my old EB, it still went great and never missed a beat, I got my EL with all its mods done and tuned to suit them, had it 18months and the thing is as awsome to drive as the day i got it!, I learnt that when your young like me its easier, and alot cheaper to buy a car already modded, ill have ago at the full thing later in life, till then im happy to buy not build lol!