Culturial variations in car customization
 

I don't want to turn this into a PARF, but a recent thread got me thinking about what drives racial variations in car style tastes?

I'm sure all of us can ID most custom cars to a particular race/culture....Black, Latinos, Asian, and White( and maybe even redneck/hillbilly). Of course there are crossover but 8 out of 10 times its pretty constant. Why the distinct taste differences?

well you got euro style
rice
ghetto style mostly big wheels and paint
hot rods
redneck trucks
and mex lowriders and jumpers

can "awesome-ness" be considered a cultural variation?

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1331579073.jpg

we used to refer to poorly-modified vehicles (in poor taste or with all the trinkets from the local auto parts store taped onto the car) as "ethnically-challenged vehicles".

Not very PC is it??

The Philippines tends a bit towards the flamboyant...;)

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_058ZdhyZgg...IL+JEEPNEY.jpg

To a lot of younger people, (of all ethnic groups), our old 911s are yawn-inspiring. Just old looking cars.

This kind of customization was popular where I grew up, in the Great White North.

http://carzy.co.in/blog/wp-content/u...ar-300x177.jpg

True but there is a lot of cross-over, such as black guys who love low-riders. Think Ice Cube "rollin' in his '64", etc...

Chrome hubcaps, Castle Grilles, wires, Booties on the trunk (Continental kit), chain steering wheels, murals.

Yeech.

once upon a time, this style of customization was bad ass. and it still is... :D

how many here remember Lee's Pimpster?

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1331583473.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1331583488.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1331583512.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1331583529.jpg

This is good post. Within every ethnic style, even though I don't care for "that" style, there is a lot of good workmanship and creativity.

In New Zealand we tend to err on the "practical" side with customization. I guess this holden had rust issues and need some bits of iron welded on.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1331584125.jpg

It seems every '32 Ford is owned by an old fat white dude that wished he had the balls to look like Billy Gibbons (but probably does have a ZZ Top tee shirt).

You forgot about Surfers & Hippies with old VW busses..

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1331584947.jpg

And an example of Red Neck

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1331587045.jpg

Don't forget....
http://www.politifake.org/image/political/1010/obamas-green-car-liberal-car-political-poster-1287847156.jpg

try not to parf this thread cairney

Saw these in S GA, words can't describe...
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1331588077.jpg

Old White Guy Style..
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1331588307.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1331589192.jpg

Can't leave out R-Grouppe
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1331588393.jpghttp://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1331588526.jpg

A buddy builds these...
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1331588573.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1331588692.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1331588720.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1331588802.jpg

And the hey, I got the super cool toys & hot ass wife guys at DEs..
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1331588952.jpg

Then there are those wacky Japanese.

http://www.pinktentacle.com/images/kaizosha_3.jpg

http://www.pinktentacle.com/images/kaizosha_1.jpg

http://www.pinktentacle.com/images/kaizosha_8.jpg

What about the pic from a few years back. One of our guys 911 was in sick bay so he customized a nissan or something with a cardboard and plywood spoiler and other bits.

Ahh, that would be referenced about 6 posts back or so.

And Hot Asian girls drive these...http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1331593202.jpg
But so do some middle aged white dudes..http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1331593245.jpg
Lets not forget the Farmer types guys who love John Deer..
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1331593343.jpg

And of course this guy again;)
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1331593506.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1331593533.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1331593553.jpg

'70's Pimpin'

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1331596046.jpg

Here I am with our family car when I was a kid. Upper crust and white bread for me.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1331598077.jpg

I saw two Mercury Sables with vinyl tops (!) on them today... wacky. Lately, I've seen quite a few rear windows that look like a tombstone, with a memorial to some deceased person. When did that become the thing to do?

We call them "ghetto jets". Who cares about PC.

This is the Very Proud owner, he even asked me while taking pix if I was going to put them in a magazine.. Notice the hood, thanks to the local Home Depot light department, really the owner told me the whole story on both the cars..
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1331605481.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1331605702.jpg

It's beginning to morph into a MUNSTERS CAR.

In 1938 Harry Westergard (Danish descent) invented the chop-top in Sacramento. Hispanics gave birth to the low rider in the late 1930s in el barrio. Did the lowrider influence Westergard's top mod?

Clearly, the elevated car with the 30" wheels is a derivative of the low rider.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1331608251.jpg

So did Hispanics start it all and everybody else just springboard off of them?

Asians are different and maybe can be explained by #10 in the below link. Not the same origin. Totally razzle dazzle related.

Top 10 Customized Vehicles From Around The World | Top 10 Lists | TopTenz.net

When you're a kid, the coolest cars are the ones you can hold in your hand and roll around wherever you go... Hot Wheels? Matchbox? ....so why should that change just because you're older?

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Yes those crazy Japanese. RUAH-Welt RWB993

A little over the top for me, but I kinda like it.

The common man's RWB.

Japanese Ricer VIP Convention! - YouTube

The Japanese cars look like Pokemon! How embarrassing for them...

Not every '32. All of these cars were owned/driven by black guys:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1331653954.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1331654048.jpg

Maybe we just have more catholicity here on the west coast, but I don't see quite as much segregation of taste in cars. Sure, most super valuable old hot rods are owned by really old white guys, (unless they are *rat rod style*, in which case they're owned by Silverlake hipsters or other posers). Collectible muscle cars worth over 6-figures are almost always owned by absolutely geriatric looking people.

Everyone knows the stereotypes, (and they seem to be more pronounced in certain parts of the country), but focusing on them is boring. And they will trip you up when you rely on them too much. A wise person once told me:

"There are blacks with absolutely no natural rhythm. Jews go out of business every day. There are smart Swedes. Stereotypes are not always true and relying on them will just make you wrong sooner rather than later." :)

What customizing group does this fall into?
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1331658390.jpg

military retirees that just can't let go?

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1331608251.jpg

How the heck is that even legal? Imagine how those mods effect braking and cornering ability!

I see these all the time on the streets of L.A.

My old Hot Rod club had had a variety of members, young & old. It isn't about the color of ones skin or age or sex, in that group, but the love of old cars.. Now, the cars I posted are owned by Old white guys, friends of mine who have been into hot rods since they were young, some never stopped playing with them...
Another Car Group that typicality crosses all lines, old VWs..
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1331659863.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1331659946.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1331659961.jpg

Course, in the 80s, in Southern Cal, if you were young, you owned something like this..
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1331660040.jpg

You are part right. It is military, but not retirees. That is the actual squadron car for active duty military. The 334th Fighting Eagles.

A bit of history:
334th Fighter Squadron - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Have you guys ever notice what I call the "Grandpa Pickup" or "Papa Pickup"?

Description as follows:

American made full size (although some smaller ones can be seen), running boards, mud flaps, topper shell (not mandatory), added lights or stick-on reflectors, trailer hitch, rain guards on the door windows, bumper stickers, Marine (retired) flag and US flags.

I see them everyday down here in God's waiting room. I'll find a picture.