It’s human nature to want to make something our own. We tend to do this with all of our possessions, especially our homes. This is why remodeling companies exist. The same is true when it comes to the vehicles we own.
Many of us constantly want to change, update, repair, and improve our homes. Sometimes this is out of necessity, but often it is just to make something special and unique that us homeowners can call our own. It makes us proud of our home and makes us feel better about living where we do.
The owner of this 1938 Mission Revival home wanted a kitchen that fit her family’s needs and reminded her of her time living in Mexico.
Many people also do this with their vehicles. Finding the right car can be very similar to finding the right house, but even after picking the right color, option package, safety features, and so on, there may still be a need to add a few more custom features. Tinting the windows can make the interior of the car much more comfortable on hot days (this could equate to finding the right window coverings in a home). Adding a DVD player can save a family on long road trips (adding a surround-sound system in a basement living room would be similar). And for some, adding a 4” lift kit can make sitting in rush hour traffic slightly more bearable (think, building a small deck on the back of the house over an existing patio). These simple changes fit the bill for many people that just need something with a little extra pizazz.
A vehicle’s engine does not need to be purely functional, as seen in this 1966 Chevrolet Suburban featured in Hot Rod magazine
Then there are custom cars (these are like dream homes, and some have similar price tags). This is the road you head down when you want something completely unique. It might start with a custom paint job on a fairly common car (similar to residing a house with something nobody else has in the neighborhood); however it often goes much further. It can be a classic car (like a Beaverdale Brick) or something much newer (like a house in a western suburb). When you start to truly customize a car you may switch out the engine for something with more horse power (gutting and remodeling your kitchen would be in the same ballpark). You could replace the car’s interior with new seats, leather upholstery, and a custom dashboard (that beautiful master suite with the reading area, soaking tub, and steam shower would fit the bill here). Going further yet, you may “chop & channel” the body to make your car look very different from how it originally started (adding the second story addition as the family grows might be a good comparison, or maybe not). No matter how the car starts, customizing it is a way for the owner to make something truly unique. And best of all, since it is a custom car, you can take your curb appeal wherever you go.
This 1957 Chevrolet Pickup, owned by Alan Beers and built by Jason Smith of Hot Rod Garage, looks just as good at the 2014 Barrett-Jackson Cup as it would in the owner’s driveway.