[Studlylb]

I am doing a paper for English on the whole tuning thing. Basically the paper is a study of people or culture as related to the car scene in some aspect. This is my research project proposal as of right now:
I was planning on researching the import car tuning scene, specifically concentrating on the Volkswagen and Honda movements which have recently taken off. In particular, I am out to find the reasons behind tuning, the kind of reputation these people wish to have, the sacrifices they make, the reasons behind rivalries with tuners of other car brands, and stories of this street racing life in general. I am planning on executing this research in several ways including interviewing people in person, conducting email interviews, and posting threads on several Volkswagen and Honda websites. I believe that posting on the websites will give the most information and will give the widest variety of answers, from which I can draw some concrete conclusions.

I was wondering if anyone would be willing to answer a couple of questions for me... I figured these questions pretty much cover the scope of tuning, but if you want to add anything, feel free. Also, I realize that there are a lot of questions here; answer what you feel like answering (a little information is better than none at all). Thanks!!

1.) What type of car do you currently drive? Is it modded in any way, or do you have plans to mod it in the near future? If so, why do you feel you need to make these modifications to your car?
2.) What type of image do you think your car poses of you? Do you think that your car is part of your identity?
3.) What type of image do you have of people who tune Hondas/Mitsubishi/Japanese cars? Why do you have this image? Do you think a rivalry is present? If so, describe it and explain why you believe the rivalry is present?
4.) What is your idea of a good modded car versus a poorly modded car?
5.) What is the biggest sacrifice you have made for your car? What type of time commitment does tuning take during a typical week?
6.) What is your favorite/best racing story?

Thanks for the help,
Lauren
[email protected]

 

[Crazyquik]

Re: Reasons behind tuning... (Studlylb)

Sounds like a cool paper http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif Make sure to post a follow-up and tell us how it went.
I'd answer your questions but I dont fit the scope of your paper.
J.

 

[PineappleMonkey]

Re: Reasons behind tuning... (Studlylb)

.) What type of car do you currently drive? Is it modded in any way, or do you have plans to mod it in the near future? If so, why do you feel you need to make these modifications to your car?
1997 Gti VR6 Ginster. ATP stage 2 kit, blah blah yeayea. I make the mods because....eh, its a hobby. Plus it's fun mashing the gas every now and then.
2.) What type of image do you think your car poses of you? Do you think that your car is part of your identity?
"Why is that skinny kid driving a yellow car." My car is very much part of my identity. I try to set myself apart from everyone else, mainly my friends.
3.) What type of image do you have of people who tune Hondas/Mitsubishi/Japanese cars? Why do you have this image? Do you think a rivalry is present? If so, describe it and explain why you believe the rivalry is present?
People that tune anything other then Vw's get my utmost respect. Gary C said it best "As long as its fast, I'll drive it." Their is a rivalry, but that is for the people that need bigger gonads.
4.) What is your idea of a good modded car versus a poorly modded car?
a good modded car is something that is tastefully done with proper parts and tuning, runs, feels like factory. A poor car is just that, something that runs horribily, mods don't do anything to the car other then make it slower. I hate using the R word, but you understand.
5.) What is the biggest sacrifice you have made for your car? What type of time commitment does tuning take during a typical week?
I've driven my Saab for 4mnths while my car was being worked on. Drove without a radio for 3 months (man do you start talking to yourself)
6.) What is your favorite/best racing story?
Racing a 1995 Firebird V8 25+ times coming back from Great America, pulled on him like no other EVERY time. Btw- before I was turbo

I hope that works...if you really want a list of all my mods, email me or hit me up on AOL, I don't feel like typing too much

Piney

 

[AKADriver]

Re: Reasons behind tuning... (Studlylb)

1.) What type of car do you currently drive? Is it modded in any way, or do you have plans to mod it in the near future? If so, why do you feel you need to make these modifications to your car?
1996 GTI VR6. Lots of engine work; cams, intake manifold, big valve head. Aftermarket 16" wheels. Stock suspension, though. I've got H&R springs waiting to go in, and I'm going to get a bigger rear swaybar eventually. Why? Anyone will tell you that the GTI VR6 is a wallowy pig. It doesn't perform as well as I know it could. I like my cars to act a certain way.
2.) What type of image do you think your car poses of you? Do you think that your car is part of your identity?
It's a purple Volkswagen; people probably think I'm a fruit. Cars in general are part of my identity, but cars come and go... no one car has ever been part of my identity. I'm not a GTI enthusiast, or a VW enthusiast, I am a car enthusiast.
3.) What type of image do you have of people who tune Hondas/Mitsubishi/Japanese cars? Why do you have this image? Do you think a rivalry is present? If so, describe it and explain why you believe the rivalry is present?
Having owned Japanese cars myself in the past, I'm friends with a lot of them. There are rivalries... they're fun if it's lighthearted ribbing. People who take brand/country rivalries seriously are pathetic children.
4.) What is your idea of a good modded car versus a poorly modded car?
Someone's tastes might disagree with mine, but I can still generally respect a show car, even though I'm not interested in that at all. A poorly modded car is a half-assed one. Light modification is fine, but if light modification is all you have, admit it! People throw around the term "rice", this is what rice is to me. It isn't custom if you can buy it at Pep Boys.
5.) What is the biggest sacrifice you have made for your car? What type of time commitment does tuning take during a typical week?
I came into some money a while back that I really should have used to blow out my student loans, but I bought my GTI with it instead

Finding a place to live when you're single and into cars is impossible. Not too many apartments come with garages.
6.) What is your favorite/best racing story?
Legal racing doesn't offer much in the way of kill stories and zany antics. I can tell you all kinds of stories of losing drag races in my Neon or losing autocrosses in my GTI.

 

[Thumposaurus]

Re: Reasons behind tuning... (Studlylb)

1

1973 VW Bus, 2.0liter aircooled flat four, dual Dellorto carbs, soon to have a semi custom exhaust, and be rolling on a set of Porsche alloys
2

It probably makes me look like some sort of hippy but I'm not, I loath the dead and there like. it is since it's the only car I've ever owned and people know me from it, where I work people are always asking me about it.
3

As long as the mods are tastefully done and either allow the car to go faster stop faster or turn faster then the image is fine it's when you get into the "sticker tuning" that chaffes my butt
4

see above
5

helping my parents pay off there van instead of buying my new engine, thus haveing no car for a period of almost a year.
6

who in their right mind would race a guy driving a Bus?

 

[Gary C]

Re: Reasons behind tuning... (PineappleMonkey)

heh i was quoted.. http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif

but yes..gotta be fast or handle nice..then ohh baby..watch out...
i don't really "fit" your demographic either..but what the heayl.. i'll answer 'em for ya.
1.) the race car is a 1987 VW Gti so i'll do it for that one. Is it modded..why yes of course. she's currently undergoing the swap as i type. the motor is a corrado G60 block, bored out, runs 83mm forged pistons, rods, crank has been lightened & knife edged, lots of head work, cam, oversized valves, blah blah blah, ditched the gladder in favour of a turbocharger, .48/.83AR trim *exhaust and comp respectivly*, custom manifold, 550cc/min RC injectors, FMIC, corrado G60 trans with a pelequin diff and a golf VR6 R&P, sds engine management, and lots of other stuff i am surely forgetting. why did i feel the need huh? well.. racing is in the blood. i've always wanted a dub, so i figured why not buy a almost dead drivetrain wise car, and revive her into a race car and see if i could stay with in a certain budget i set for myself. so far i have done a good job of that. the main reason is because truth be told i am an adrenaline junkie plain and simple. the rush of it, the thrill, the fun, etc. http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif

2) what type of image huh? uhm.. obviously GO before show.

other than that i am not really sure. the other cars in the stable all pose different stereotypes that i fail to meet on all counts. i think that's what your getting at? maybe, do you see yourself as a certain stereotype. that's how i interperated it.. and no i don't sorry. i'm just Gary.
3) i don't have one. they choose their marque of car because it appeals to them. i've owned japense, german, and american cars, all because they have appealed to me in some way or another. they all excel at something or have a certain feel that draws me towards them which is why i've owned them. i feel that's why MOST people own the cars that they do indeed own. they are drawn to them for some reason or another, be it cosmetics, good chasis dynamics, strong motor/platform to build upon, etc. so whatever marque it is, if they choose it because they like it, COOL! more power to them.
as for rivalry, eh.. again it varies. personally i don't FEEL as if there should be one, but in all actuality there is indeed one, which saddens me. the typical honda bashing, american cars suck, etc.

i say grow up.. most people don't get it. *shrug*
4) good modded..runs well.. poorly modded runs like crap. if this is about cosmetics, well..thats entirely up to the individual. if it appeals to the person who owns it so be it. not my choice, you can't argue opinon. they put it on because in THEIR opinion they like it, so if they like it, whatever floats their boat. my personal taste is cars is probably waaaay different than the majority on the board it seems. but that's life. that's what makes the world go 'round..not literally but metaphorically speaking of course
5) nothing is a sacrifice. i do it because i WANT to therefor i am not sacrificing anything.
6) don't have one sorry. oh wait.. well..one notable is at the drag strip beating a V8 mustang convertable in my bmw wagon. the look on the other guy's face was PRICELESS. http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif

 

[VWteknik]

Re: Reasons behind tuning... (Studlylb)

1.) What type of car do you currently drive? Is it modded in any way, or do you have plans to mod it in the near future? If so, why do you feel you need to make these modifications to your car?
See my signature.....Future mods: Front strut brace, lower 4 point brace, better tires, 2.0 16 valve with dual outlet manifold, techtonics downpipe and cat, 1.8 16v head, euro cams, close ratio tranny, ECU, Momo or Nardi steering wheel and shift knob, short shift kit. I bought the car becuase it was a blast to drive, but I wanted more power and a tighter chassis. There were other cars that had this for the same amount of money, but they just weren't as fun. I also like the looks and uniqueness.
2.) What type of image do you think your car poses of you? Do you think that your car is part of your identity?
Definately part of my identity. Everyone knows me by my car, probably because I'm always doing the driving, working on it etc. Cabriolets supposedly have a girly stigma, but I don't see my car like that, though I'm sure some other people do. It adds to the novelty of being able to out accelerate/maneuver them though, so I don't care.
3.) What type of image do you have of people who tune Hondas/Mitsubishi/Japanese cars? Why do you have this image? Do you think a rivalry is present? If so, describe it and explain why you believe the rivalry is present?
I see them the same as VW people, but there seems to be more cars out ther that are not exactly to my taste, or just plain bad from Japan, probably due to more popularity. I don't really think there's a rivalry be definition, but I will say that when two VW's race, it's almost alwys in good fun with no hard feelings and a friendly wave/flash afterwards. This isn't as common with the Japanese cars, even when it Honda vs. Honda. It's almost like the worst car they could get beaten by is an old VW which madkes it all sweeter.
4.) What is your idea of a good modded car versus a poorly modded car?
Good mods help performance in all areas and have a good balance of accel, handling etc. Also, I don't like body mods that don't do anything and stickers displaying brands that aren't really used are my pet peave.
5.) What is the biggest sacrifice you have made for your car? What type of time commitment does tuning take during a typical week?
Mainly money, which at this point isn't too much. The time is well spent, because the work is usually as fun as the end result. rder a pizza, turn on some Zeppelin and time flies.
6.) What is your favorite/best racing story?
My favorite kill (and my engine was completely stock at the time) were these two little punks in a Del Sol. We were cruising about 30 and the guy comes around to the side of me, looks over and we take off. He must have been a terrible driver because I'm pretty sure those cars have around 140hp compared to my 91 at the time. Anyways, we raced about 3 times and I got him every time, and he was getting really pissed. Trying to get a head start and things like that. And when he wasn't racing, he just kept revving his insanely loud exhaust. I thought it was hilarious that this guy couldn't even beat a stock Cabriolet, and even more funny that he had to somehow explain to his friend why he couldn't keep up. Classic!!

 

[thk]

Re: Reasons behind tuning... (Studlylb)

Well, I guess I should pipe in for the "other" side.

1.) What type of car do you currently drive? Is it modded in any way, or do you have plans to mod it in the near future? If so, why do you feel you need to make these modifications to your car?
Acura Integra Type R. Just started modifications with basic bolt ons to remain in (I guess I'm stuck in D Stock now, right?). The motivation for me to modify my car is to give it a better power to weight ratio while trying to enhance the handling aspect of my car.
2.) What type of image do you think your car poses of you? Do you think that your car is part of your identity?
Not sure. Hopefully it projects the image of a person who likes to drive and doesn't do it just to get from point A to point B. Yes, I do believe that my car is part of my identity.
3.) What type of image do you have of people who tune Hondas/Mitsubishi/Japanese (others in my case) cars? Why do you have this image? Do you think a rivalry is present? If so, describe it and explain why you believe the rivalry is present?
As long as they're going for the same goals as I am, more power to them! http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif I do believe there is a rivalry present but amongst true car enthusiasts, it's more against driver than machine. Any other rivarly is petty and idiotic, IMHO.
4.) What is your idea of a good modded car versus a poorly modded car?
Again, this is my own opinion but if it isn't to enhance the power to weight and increase handling of the vehicle, it's not my thing. That's just how I feel about modifying automobiles. Now, if someone pours their time and money for amazing sound or even making a lowrider, I respect that also. Poorly modded cars are well ... I'm pretty sure everyone knows the stereotypical answer to that one

5.) What is the biggest sacrifice you have made for your car? What type of time commitment does tuning take during a typical week?
Biggest sacrifice is missing out on movies and just doing typical stuff that I used to be able to do like parking in a mall. Tuning ... not quite up to that yet but I will learn and do as much as I can myself.
6.) What is your favorite/best racing story?
Can't answer that since I don't have a competition license nor a race car ... yet!

 

[Studlylb]

Re: Reasons behind tuning... (thk)

ttt

 

[89TaurusSHO]

Re: Reasons behind tuning... (Studlylb)

1.) What type of car do you currently drive? Is it modded in any way, or do you have plans to mod it in the near future? If so, why do you feel you need to make these modifications to your car?
I currently drive a 1989 Ford Taurus SHO 5-speed. Currently my only mods are 16" SHO wheels (slicers) from a '93 SHO, flowmaster mufflers, and a new head unit. I have a bigger MAF I plan to install in the near future, as well as a few other modifications. I feel the need to modify in order to increase hp, and reliability (making the car more fun) and also to have a more unique car... to my own taste.
2.) What type of image do you think your car poses of you? Do you think that your car is part of your identity?
My car is DEFINITELY a part of my identity. Most would consider my car somewhat of a sleeper (220hp 4 door)... in a lot of ways it's like me... you take a look at me and my behavior (relaxed / subtle) and you dismiss it... but then when you nail the gas you get an eye-opener. Much like myself; on the outside I'm a big-ass slacker, but when it comes down to it, I perform with the best of them.
3.) What type of image do you have of people who tune Hondas/Mitsubishi/Japanese cars? Why do you have this image? Do you think a rivalry is present? If so, describe it and explain why you believe the rivalry is present?
I view those who tune small displacement import cars with a lack of understanding. I do not understand why people start with a 100hp 4 banger econobox and try to make it fast? I can see why some start with a civic si, or crx or something that was meant to be more than an econobox, but anything else I just don't understand. There is definitely some level of rivalry between the import tuners and the domestic tuners. Essentially it will often come down to the following: Twisties or Dragstrips? If you want both you need to look a bit deeper into your wallet than most would like to.
4.) What is your idea of a good modded car versus a poorly modded car?
??? A well modified car has high quality parts installed by somebody with experience. A poorly modified car has a few poorly placed stickers and a 6" exhaust tip that is duct taped on.
5.) What is the biggest sacrifice you have made for your car? What type of time commitment does tuning take during a typical week?
I am a student, and I work as often as I possibly can to maintain my car (the SHO is somewhat of a cash drain). Most people my age have never worked two jobs all summer long just to pay for their car. Overall, it's more satisfying than being handed a brand new car by mommy and daddy; that's for sure.
6.) What is your favorite/best racing story?
My SHO vs '89 Mustang GT... wheel to wheel from a stop, and I took him on the top end from a roll.
- Brian

 

[turbo_nine]

Re: Reasons behind tuning... (Studlylb)

quote:[HR][/HR]
1.) What type of car do you currently drive? Is it modded in any way, or do you have plans to mod it in the near future? If so, why do you feel you need to make these modifications to your car?
[HR][/HR]​

1991 Saab 9000 turbo. I don't have any plans to modify it, since it is easily as fast as the last car that I modified (which I felt was finally "fast enough" just before it broke a transmission).

quote:[HR][/HR]
2.) What type of image do you think your car poses of you? Do you think that your car is part of your identity?
[HR][/HR]​

I have a hard time with this one. Really knowing the answer would require me to figure out my own self-image first. And though many here won't admit that they haven't, I will. Certainly the car says I have more money than I do. That's fine - actually seems to help quite a bit when I need to cross the border to Canada or drive past speed traps.

quote:[HR][/HR]
3.) What type of image do you have of people who tune Hondas/Mitsubishi/Japanese cars? Why do you have this image? Do you think a rivalry is present? If so, describe it and explain why you believe the rivalry is present?
[HR][/HR]​

Not that I've noticed. I know a kid with a fast RX7 that my SPG couldn't keep up with. He's had two paint jobs, three different wings and three or four different exhausts since the first time I encountered him. But at least there's something under that hood that counts.

quote:[HR][/HR]
4.) What is your idea of a good modded car versus a poorly modded car?
[HR][/HR]​

It's gotta be clean. Beyond that, it depends on what you're doing with it. For the track - bring on the stickers, straight pipes and big tires. For the street? Eh, what's the point of doing it anyway?

quote:[HR][/HR]
5.) What is the biggest sacrifice you have made for your car? What type of time commitment does tuning take during a typical week?
[HR][/HR]​

I took out a loan for this 9000. Thankfully it was only for half its book value. Regular maintenance on the car is pretty cheap if you know where to look for the parts - that does mean a small time commitment.

quote:[HR][/HR]
6.) What is your favorite/best racing story?
[HR][/HR]​

Well, a modded '85 SPG can be faster than a new Crown Vic. Don't know how I know that.
edit: fixed quote tag



[Modified by turbo_nine, 10:51 PM 2-10-2002]