What little custom touches have you done to your cars?

[Silverback51]

Originally Posted by Jamo

I had folks unhitch the gas cap a few times while at car shows or events.

It ain't what it seems...

I have had the same problem. Thanks for a great idea.

[Blas]

Some very innovative ideas shared here so far...
It's going to be difficult to choose the top 3 at the end of the month.
I would think that posts with photos trump those without photos...but I'm a visual type of guy. As they say a "photo is worth a thousand words"....You could probably be a contender with a photo that says it all and has no test at all.
I especially like the responses with the modifications that anyone can do regardless of whether you are building or finished building your car. Having busted a few shins on my quick jacks I really like that one for sure...so far.
Long time till the end of the month...I'll just bet some of you have done something so simple that you have taken it for granted...but it made your car much more enjoyable or safer to drive...Some of them may be:
Radar Detector Mounts
GPS Unit Mounting
Front License Plate Mounts
Trunk Storage Ideas
Dare I say it: "Cup Holders"
Emergency Weather Covers

[Excaliber]

OK, I guess I can get a picture of the hole I drilled behind the seat for water to run out if you insist...

[Blas]

Well, if you post a photo of the hole you drilled, you'd better really "sell it" with the text description. Perhaps a beautiful girl drilled them and you snapped a few shots of her in action under the car...? Lie if necessary...

[1985 CCX]

I will be doing many:
Joseph flares
Rough look FIA's
and most recently a cool old English style ally hood with long attached scoop





Thanks Karl and Nick

[Jamo]

Ok, I'm getting PMs and e-mails asking me where to drill the hole in the hinge for "safety wiring" the gas cap.

Move away from the drills.

The following sequence shows how to take off the wire in order to pump some gas...me thinks it'll become clear once you see them.

Ok, here it is installed...




First, you slide the wire to the side of the latch...




Keep sliding it over...




Once it is slid over, it'll release the tension so that you can pull the big loop out from under the hinge. Assright...there's no hole. The big loop fits nicely under the hinge and is held there once the wire is tightened by sliding it back to the middle of the latch.




Once you release the loop from around the hinge, just flop it out of the way...it'll still be connected to the latch.




And it's ready to put back on in reverse order...slide it around the hinge first, and then slide it back along the latch to tighten/hold it in place.



If you don't appreciate a little patina (minor scratches) on your cap, you can slide some small diameter tubing over the twisted section, as some have done.

Hope this adds to the little show you (and all of us) put on for the unwashed at the gas station.

[Blas]

Jamo,
Looks like it's scratching the filler cover in the photos...

[PANAVIA]

Blas, those are not scratches - those are "character-marks"

[Jamo]

paaaaaaaaaa....tina

Very minor surface stuff...a little Mother's and they're gone. They don't bother me...what you're seeing is after nearly three years. Like I said, though, some folks slip a little rubber tubing over the twisted section.

[Ralphy]

paaaaaaaaaa....tina, maaaaaaaaa.....tina, fraaaaaaaaaa....tina, laaaaaaaaaa......gwina!

[RedCSX1]

I have installed or fabricated several modification. Here are a few of them.

Oil reservoir



Custom fabricated clutch bracket setup



Venting



Interior vents





The taillights are exposed on the “Shelby” Cobra. I made some stone guards to protect the from flying rocks



I put a clip on the end of the hood prop rod to prevent the hood from falling accidentally





Coolant over flow





Welded petcock drain into lower radiator pipe.

[Bill Bess]

This little car "bites" me all the time.....scratches my hands when cleaning in tight places, burns my leg when I forget about the hot pipes and yes, bangs my head with the quick jacks...almost knocking me out.
Being an RV'er and being aware of sharp edges on trailer slide-out, my wife came up with this idea.
Placing a piece of "water weinny" tube on the sharp edges, you know that colorful foam plastic tubing for use in the swimming pools. It comes in lenghts about 5' long and is cheap to buy.

Anyway, 4 - one foot long pieces of that tubing, with a slit cut into the side in a vertical direction, is then slip over the quick jacks.
The foam protects your car cover and your head.
Bill

[Blas]

WOW is January over where you live too?
Sorry for being late with the winners selection for the “best custom touches to your car” …

The intention here was to share some ideas for little upgrades that people can do to their cars while the long winter days and nights slowly crept by. While there were some fantastic ideas shared here, many of them were geared for modifications that should be done while “building” a chassis and not necessarily suited for a finished chassis wintertime modification.
That being said; photos, or links to photos could only have added to the presentation of any idea.
So, after all is said and done, here are the winners chosen by the judges: Myself, my Airedale puppy, and a dart board.
Please contact me directly for your previously stated prize of a complimentary personalized copy of the Smiths Dash Gauge Lighting Upgrade Information. Example photos of dash lighting are in my gallery and related discussions elsware on CC. If you don’t have Smiths gauges in your car, I'll owe you a beer instead…

(insert fanfare)

3rd place: - “JAMO” – Safety-wired fuel cap and best manicure.

2nd place: “Bernica” – quick-jack safety covers. (Hint: Photos of injurys would have made this one #1)

1st place: “RedBarchetta” - Clutch Reservoir & driveshaft safety loop. (i.e. Taking care of "Big Jim and the Twins")

Thanks to everyone sharing their ideas...

[RedBarchetta]

I'd like to take a moment to thank the Academy for this prestigious award, along with my producers, directors, bankers, dog walkers, ear and nose hair removers and all the other people that make my Red Barchetta sing.

Blas, you have my e-mail address, right?

Thank you very much!


-Dean

[Blas]

Yup....Sometime tonight it will be sent....
Thanks for playing.......

[Jamo]

Congrats to you, Dean...well deserved!







Bite me!

[Bernica]

Originally Posted by Blas

WOW is January over where you live too?
Sorry for being late with the winners selection for the “best custom touches to your car” …

The intention here was to share some ideas for little upgrades that people can do to their cars while the long winter days and nights slowly crept by. While there were some fantastic ideas shared here, many of them were geared for modifications that should be done while “building” a chassis and not necessarily suited for a finished chassis wintertime modification.
That being said; photos, or links to photos could only have added to the presentation of any idea.
So, after all is said and done, here are the winners chosen by the judges: Myself, my Airedale puppy, and a dart board.
Please contact me directly for your previously stated prize of a complimentary personalized copy of the Smiths Dash Gauge Lighting Upgrade Information. Example photos of dash lighting are in my gallery and related discussions elsware on CC. If you don’t have Smiths gauges in your car, I'll owe you a beer instead…

(insert fanfare)

3rd place: - “JAMO” – Safety-wired fuel cap and best manicure.

2nd place: “Bernica” – quick-jack safety covers. (Hint: Photos of injurys would have made this one #1)

1st place: “RedBarchetta” - Clutch Reservoir & driveshaft safety loop. (i.e. Taking care of "Big Jim and the Twins")

Thanks to everyone sharing their ideas...

First, I would like to congratulate RedBarchetta for his outstanding performance. And to JAMO, for what can only be called a "Clinching and Spiraling presentation!!". I am truley humbled and would further like to thank the Megan Medical Clinic for the stitches (should have taken pics), my lovely wife, my......what???, I have to cut it short?? But, but....
Fade to black.

[Blas]

Send me an email address offline...You and Jamo...
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How about we start another thread....
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"Things I wish I didn't do on my car"

[mdross1]

The list is long,
-Steel plated between frame pieces to support fiberglass floors and protect them from undercar exhaust.
-Custom bent fuel fill pipe between tank and filler door,for safety and looks inside trunk.
-Battery tray behind right rear wheel custom built so it will slide out for maintainance.
-Trap doors inside footwells to change spark plug,and adjust clutch.
-All custom built front and rear chrome moly suspension with coil overs.
-Rear cross member and drive shaft loop overkilled for looks and strength.
-And other things