Note: I had to change the original title of this entry because it was mis- interpreted in what I imagine was a sexual connotation. The meaning of the original term was clear, just check the dictionary. However as popular language is always evolving. or devolving, a once innocuous term can pick up an undesirable association. I value the opportunity to post my blog on this site, and I changed the title of the post to clear up any possible confusion. My blog just deals with my interest in cars, I have always written it in a manner that is appropriate to readers of all ages., It's just about me and my cars.
The urge to personalize their car seems to strike most car enthusiasts. Some accessories are added to "dress up " the machine and others are added to increase the "visual performance" of the car. Some are even added to improve the actual performance of the vehicle! Either way, the idea is to make the car an expression of the owner's taste, (or lack of!). However it is a lot like seasoning your meal, we all have certain favorite flavors and some of us add just a little sprinkle, while others empty a whole container on our enchiladas.
What seasonings we choose to use are a matter of taste, and of our cultural backgrounds, and the reference groups that we identify with. So it is with our automobiles,
Some modifications and accessories are added to increase the performance in specific areas; handling, acceleration and top speed. Wide tires, jacked up rear ends, spoilers and hood scoops are common street machine additions that were made back in the 1960's and 70's.
Some are added to make the car look more "Deluxe". ( You're So Fancy!) Spotlights, fender skirts, and jeweled mudflaps were the hot set up in the 1940s. Theses were replaced by the wide white wall tires, wire spoke hubcaps, chrome Rolls Royce type grill covers, padded carriage roofs, and gold trim packages.
I'm not planning to go in that direction with my '96 Mustang.
The pinnacle of the SN95 Mustang series modification is probably best exemplified by the Saleen Speedster.
I'm planning on a lower key look.
I've always thought that this Mustang had a bit of a weak chin and could benefit from a front spoiler or air dam. There are plenty of body kits available that include new bumper fascias with a deeper air dam. Using the front bumper alone probably wouldn't blend in too well with the rest of the stock styling.
This is a replica of the front spoiler used on the 2002 Mach One. It helps define that weak chin, it should reduce drag, and it hopefully won't hang low enough to hit on parking stall stops.
This is the Saleen S-351 rear wing. I like the way that it sits lower and extends about six inches past the end of the decklid. It visually widens, lengthens and lowers the rear of the car. I never really cared for the stock or even the Cobra wing. It seemed too high.
I've always thought that my car always rode pretty rough. Some is just to the nature of the car, after all it does have a performance suspension.
When I bought my Mustang it came with a set of chromed 17'' replica Cobra wheels. They weren't bad looking but I thought that they were probably heavier than the OEM wheel would be. I replaced them with this set of OEM 17'' wheels from a 1999 Mustang. I found that they were almost five pounds lighter and for some reason, I just like them better in silver.
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| Photo source: ridelust The Mack is Back! |
The urge to personalize their car seems to strike most car enthusiasts. Some accessories are added to "dress up " the machine and others are added to increase the "visual performance" of the car. Some are even added to improve the actual performance of the vehicle! Either way, the idea is to make the car an expression of the owner's taste, (or lack of!). However it is a lot like seasoning your meal, we all have certain favorite flavors and some of us add just a little sprinkle, while others empty a whole container on our enchiladas.
What seasonings we choose to use are a matter of taste, and of our cultural backgrounds, and the reference groups that we identify with. So it is with our automobiles,
 |
| photo source: chevy hardcore.com Does this guy even identify with the planet Earth? |
Some modifications and accessories are added to increase the performance in specific areas; handling, acceleration and top speed. Wide tires, jacked up rear ends, spoilers and hood scoops are common street machine additions that were made back in the 1960's and 70's.
Some are added to make the car look more "Deluxe". ( You're So Fancy!) Spotlights, fender skirts, and jeweled mudflaps were the hot set up in the 1940s. Theses were replaced by the wide white wall tires, wire spoke hubcaps, chrome Rolls Royce type grill covers, padded carriage roofs, and gold trim packages.
 |
| This roof treatment still has it's fans. |
I'm not planning to go in that direction with my '96 Mustang.
The pinnacle of the SN95 Mustang series modification is probably best exemplified by the Saleen Speedster.
 |
| Cool, but oh so '90's! |
I'm planning on a lower key look.
I've always thought that this Mustang had a bit of a weak chin and could benefit from a front spoiler or air dam. There are plenty of body kits available that include new bumper fascias with a deeper air dam. Using the front bumper alone probably wouldn't blend in too well with the rest of the stock styling.
 |
| I think that this is the right look. |
This is a replica of the front spoiler used on the 2002 Mach One. It helps define that weak chin, it should reduce drag, and it hopefully won't hang low enough to hit on parking stall stops.
This is the Saleen S-351 rear wing. I like the way that it sits lower and extends about six inches past the end of the decklid. It visually widens, lengthens and lowers the rear of the car. I never really cared for the stock or even the Cobra wing. It seemed too high.
I've always thought that my car always rode pretty rough. Some is just to the nature of the car, after all it does have a performance suspension.
 |
| Repop Cobra 17 inchers. |
When I bought my Mustang it came with a set of chromed 17'' replica Cobra wheels. They weren't bad looking but I thought that they were probably heavier than the OEM wheel would be. I replaced them with this set of OEM 17'' wheels from a 1999 Mustang. I found that they were almost five pounds lighter and for some reason, I just like them better in silver.
 |
| Used in 1999. |
Many times we will make modifications to our cars without really knowing whether or not the changes are an actual improvement.
Sometimes it doesn't matter. They are just made to satisfy our need to have different cosmetics. Like that Eldo's half landau top. Would a tiger print be an improvement over a leopard print? Would it really matter? As long as it compliments the overall design aesthetic!
I would have to say that most performance modifications are done to enhance the visual performance of the vehicle.
Oversized tires require more power to turn, sapping power from a stock motor. The increased traction can lead to a new imbalance between over and under steer, not to mention the increase in unsprung weight. Lowering the car can affect the way that the shock absorbers and springs coordinate, resulting in a reduction in overall handing. Not to mention changes to esoteric concepts like roll center.
Generally a loss of ground clearance will result in the driver having to excessively slow down to negotiate pavement dips, driveways and rough pavement. Where's the performance increase there?
Those mile high, bi plane type rear wings, It's safe to assume that they wouldn't have any beneficial effect at less than race track speeds. I can imagine that they might however make the car less stable in a side wind situation.
There are ways to quantify the amount of improvements from any modifications of course. But do we really want to know?
Improved aerodynamics should result in lowered drag that should improve fuel economy and increase top speed.
Power modifiers should result in lower ets. at the drag strip.
Chassis and suspension improvements should produce lower times on the track, slalom course or autocross circuit.
Do we really want to know?
So much of this modification is done to personalize our machines. If done to a new car it is differentiate it from the hordes of similar or identical vehicles on the street.
If done to an older car it is meant to put our stamp on the vehicle's design or our vision of how it should have been done the first time. It also displays the commitment and pride that we take in our older car.
You could of course take your car to a drag strip and compare results. A lower ET would indicate more power, better gearing, increased traction, or just better response from the driver.
Taking your car to a track day event or auto cross could provide feedback on handling improvements.
These evaluation methods will cost both money and time. There is an easy method to evaluate aerodynamic improvements though. It's called the "coast down" method. Start out with a base line run to establish the results prior to modifications.
First you have to find a flat, straight, lightly traveled section of roadway. A lightly used county road will serve best. You need to find one with at least a 50 mph. speed limit.
Accelerate to a steady 50 mph. Then release the throttle, and simultaneously start the stop watch, and allow your car to coast until it reaches 40 mph. Measure this elapsed time. Do this three times and average the results. If you want to be super accurate do the same thing in the opposite direction to account for wind, etc.
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| My Daughter bought me an old time stopwatch. |
Now, any modifications made that could affect the rolling or wind resistance of your car will be reflected in future results.
If the coast down time required increases, then you have reduced the drag factors. If it is shortened, then you have increased the drag factor. In other words the modifications are now slowing you down.
The use of radial tires should reduce rolling resistance and will increase fuel economy. However wider tires may increase rolling resistance and even aero drag if they are now sticking out into the airstream!
An under bumper, front air dam will usually reduce drag. Many stock, non performance cars in the Seventies sported a small air dam behind the front bumper where it was scarcely noticed. This was later combined with a raised rear deck lid to further improve airflow.
Rear spoilers and decklid wings have always been a more controversial subject. When they were introduced in the late 1960s on the GTO Judge, Mercury Eliminator and Z28 Camaros, there wasn't much proof that they did any good on street driven cars. That would change.
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| This was a most revealing article. |
There was a great article in a 1969 issue of Car Life magazine. The staff did an actual test on the efficacy of these add ons. They employed an instrument measured value for vehicle lift, comparing spoilered and un spoilerd configurations. The results were surprising. This subject is well worth pursuing. I will dedicate a future blog entry, along with a link to this fascinating article.
I think that I have wandered off topic in this discussion of aerodynamics. Maybe I'll save a more detailed discussion for another time. Obviously, this has been a key design element that the OEM manufacturers have paid a lot of attention to.
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| 1970 Plymouth Superbird OEM efforts were incorporated in a more subtle manner, at least most of the time! |
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