View source for Custom car

{{redirect|Modified car|the American oval track automobile series|Modified racing}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{More citations needed|date=July 2008}}
{{original research|date=February 2019}}
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{{short description|Passenger vehicle that has been substantially altered in its appearance}}
[[File:NHRA Museum.jpg|thumb|One of the famous custom cars in the classic American custom style, the [[Hirohata Merc]]<ref>{{cite book |last=Kress |first=Joe |title=Lead Sleds |date=2002 |publisher=MotorBooks International |isbn=9781610590631 |page=10 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=IM8me68zmJwC&pg=PA10 |access-date=24 February 2019}}</ref>]]

A '''custom car''' is a passenger [[automobile|vehicle]] that has been altered to [[engine tuning|improve its performance]], change its aesthetics, or combine both. Some automotive enthusiasts in the United States want to push "styling and performance a step beyond the showroom floor - to truly craft an automobile of one's own."<ref>{{cite book |last=Ganahl |first=Pat |title=The American custom car |date=2001 |publisher=MBI |isbn=9780760309506 |url= https://archive.org/details/americancustomca0000gana |url-access=registration |access-date=24 February 2019}}</ref> A custom car in British usage, according to ''[[Collins English Dictionary]]'', is built to the buyer's own specifications.<ref>{{cite web |title=Custom car definition and meaning: Collins English Dictionary |url= https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/english/custom-car |website=collinsdictionary.com |access-date=24 February 2019}}</ref>

Custom cars are not to be confused with [[coachbuilder|coachbuilt]] automobiles, historically [[rolling chassis]] fitted with luxury bodywork by specialty auto body builders.

==History==
[[File:1916 Ford Model T Speedster, March 26, 1916, California (5643782311).jpg|thumb|1916 [[Ford Model T]] modified into a [[Speedster (automobile)|speedster]], an early form of customized car]][[File:T Bucket 001.JPG|thumb|A 1923 Ford [[T-bucket]] in the traditional hot rod style]]

Some of the earliest examples of modified cars were cars modified for [[Auto racing|racing]] or [[off-roading]].  The [[coachbuilding]] industry is considered part of custom car history, as companies and individuals built custom bodies to be fitted to early cars and inspired later customizers.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.customcarchronicle.com/forums/topic/coachbuild-origins-of-custom-cars/ |title=Coachbuild origins of Custom Cars |first=Ric |last=Hoving |date=November 25, 2016 |website=customcarchronicle.com |access-date=August 9, 2024}}</ref>

[[Hot rod|Hot rods]] were an early type of custom car first popularized in the United States, considered to be one of the earliest defined car customization movements. The origins of the first hot rods are typically considered to be early race cars built to race on dirt tracks and dry lake beds, often stripped down [[Ford Model T]]s, [[Ford Model A (1927–1931)|Model As]], and other pre-[[World War II]] cars made into [[Speedster (automobile)|speedsters]] and "gow jobs".<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.hemmings.com/stories/article/a-brief-history-of-hot-rodding |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20240208064729/https://www.hemmings.com/stories/article/a-brief-history-of-hot-rodding |archive-date=2024-02-08 |title=A Brief History of Hot Rodding |date=2020-01-23 |first=David |last=Conwill |work=Hemmings }}</ref> The "gow job" morphed into the hot rod in the 1940s to 1950s.<ref name="Shelton, Chris 2017, p.16">{{cite magazine|last=Shelton |first=Chris |title=Then, Now, and Forever |magazine=Hot Rod |date=March 2017 |page=16}}</ref><ref>Shelton, C., page 18.</ref> The modified cars used in the [[Prohibition in the United States|Prohibition era]] by [[Rum-running|bootleggers]] to evade [[Internal Revenue Service|revenue agents]] and other law enforcement are also considered a predecessor to the hot rod.<ref>{{cite web |date=28 November 2015 |title=Hot Rod History |url=http://www.hopupmag.com/hot-rod-history/ |access-date=13 May 2018 |website=hopupmag.com}}</ref> Hot rods gained popularity after [[World War II]], particularly in California, because many returning soldiers had received technical training.<ref>{{cite web |date=28 November 2015 |title=Hot Rod History |url= http://www.hopupmag.com/hot-rod-history/ |access-date=13 May 2018 |website=hopupmag.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=2009-07-23 |title=Hot Rod History |url= https://www.autoevolution.com/news/hot-rod-history-9087.html |access-date=13 May 2018 |website=autoevolution.com}}</ref> Many cars were "hopped up" with engine modifications such as adding additional carburetors, high compression heads, and dual exhausts. The suspension was often altered, and [[engine swap]]s were to install the most powerful engine in the lightest possible frame and body combination.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.yourcustomcar.com/custom-car-history.html |title=The evolution of custom cars |access-date=2016-10-11}}</ref><ref>Shelton, Chris. pages 18 and 20.</ref>

Another example of early automobile customization were the first [[Off-road vehicle|off-road vehicles]]. Some of the earliest dedicated offroad vehicles were made using the [[Kégresse track]] system, starting in the late 1910s, which affixed tracks to an ordinary car in place of the rear wheels for improved off-road traction.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.home.no/migreg/norsk/kiriletz.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081231031708/http://www.home.no/migreg/norsk/kiriletz.html | archive-date = 2008-12-31 | language = no, en | title = Stanislav Kiriletz | website = MIG-registeret }}</ref> After [[World War II]], the surplus of army Jeeps led to a growth in the popularity of off-roading as a hobby.

Starting in the early 1940s, some US car customizers began to modify cars with a stronger emphasis on looks and self-expression. This led to styles of modification such as [[Lowrider|lowriders]], [[Kustom (cars)|kustoms]] and [[Lead sled|lead sleds]] emerging and growing.<ref>{{cite thesis |id={{ProQuest|305027217}} |last1=Wanberg |first1=John Joseph |date=2005 |title=Understanding customization: A case study in car customization }}{{pn|date=February 2024}}</ref> 1950s kustom car builders would often swap trim and panels from other cars, cut through the sheet metal and remove bits to make the car lower, weld it back together, and add [[lead]] to make the resulting form smooth. They would also [[Chopped and channeled#Chopping|chop]] the roof to make it lower,<ref>''Rod Action'', 2/78, p. 64.</ref> [[Chopped and channeled#Sectioning|section]]<ref>''Street Rodder'', 2/78, p. 15; ''Custom Rodder'' 1/97, p. 29.</ref> the body to make it thinner from top to bottom, and [[Chopped and channeled#Channeling|channel]]<ref>Jezek, George. "The All Deuce Round-Up", in ''Street Rodder'', 2/78, p. 58.</ref> the body by cutting notches in the floorpan where the body touches the frame to lower the whole body. 

The first drag strip in the United States opened in 1950 on an airfield in Southern California, and a year later, in 1951 the [[National Hot Rod Association]] was formed.<ref>{{Cite web |title=NHRA History |url=https://www.nhra.com/nhra-101/nhra-history |access-date=2024-02-13 |website=NHRA |language=en}}</ref> In the following years, more drag strips were built across the country, leading to a rise in the popularity of [[drag racing]] among both amateurs and professionals. 

In the post-[[World War II]] era, Japan's automotive industry grew, eventually leading to the country becoming the world's largest vehicle producer. This led to a unique car customization culture within the nation. Some of the early custom cars in Japan, starting in the late 1970s through the 1980s, included Kaido Racers, Japanese cars modified with homemade parts to look like racecars of the time; imported and modified American and European cars; cars modified for top-speed and highway racing; and [[Dekotora]] decorated trucks.<ref>{{cite web |title=What is a Kaido Racer? |url= https://kaidoracer.com/what-is-a-kaido-racer/ |access-date=2024-02-13 |website=Kaido Racer |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=2021-03-11 |title=The Golden Years of Japan's Car Culture: Showa Racing |url= https://sabukaru.online/articles/showa-racing |access-date=2024-02-13 |website=sabukaru |language=en-US}}</ref> The 1990s saw the rise of cars modified for [[Drifting (motorsport)|drifting]], [[VIP style]] luxury sedans, and the continued popularity of highway racing. Japan also embraced American customization styles, importing and building their muscle cars, lowriders, minitrucks, and more.

== Styles of modification ==
[[File:Chevy Impala by Marc Northstar.jpg|thumb|1959 [[Chevrolet Impala#Second generation (1959–1960)|Chevrolet Impala]] [[Art car]]]]
[[File:Pro ET - Ford Escort - Santa Pod 2010 (4663835515).jpg|thumb|[[Ford Escort (Europe)|Ford Escort]] modified for [[drag racing]]]]
[[File:Osaka Auto Messe 2016 (221) - tuned Nissan SKYLINE (C210).jpg|thumb|[[Nissan Skyline#Fifth generation (C210; 1977)|Nissan Skyline C210]] modified in the Japanese Kaido Racer style]]
[[File:Typical_Rat_Rod.jpg|thumb|An example of a [[rat rod]]]]

Modified cars can be significantly different from their stock counterparts. A common factor among owners/modifiers is to emulate the visual and/or performance characteristics of established styles and design principles. These similarities may be unintentional. Some of the many different styles and visual influences to car modification are:

* '''[[Art car]]''': Cars painted or decorated to be art pieces.
* [[Cal looker|'''Cal look''']]: A modified classic Volkswagen intended to evoke California through bright colours, trim, and accessories.
* '''Drag car''': Cars modified for [[drag racing]]
* '''Drift car''': Cars modified for [[Drifting (motorsport)|drifting]].
* '''Dub''' or '''donk''' or '''[[Hi-Riser]]''': Characterized by huge wheels with low-profile tires, often with upgraded speaker setups, and sometimes custom paint, interiors, and engine upgrades.
* '''Euro style''': Stanced with one-off paint and small wheels, with shaved features to define car body lines.
* '''German look''': A Volkswagen [[Volkswagen Beetle|Type 1]], [[Volkswagen Type 3|Type 3]], or [[Volkswagen Karmann Ghia|Karmann Ghia]] lowered and fitted with late model [[Porsche]] mag wheels and [[Touring car racing|touring car]]-influenced styling. Heavily modified suspension and drivetrain with emphasis on handling and cornering.
* '''[[Hot rod]]''': Style primarily consisting of period-specific vehicles, components, and finishes to reproduce characteristics of early drag cars from the 1930s and 1940s.
* [[Import scene|'''Import''']] or [[Japanese domestic market|'''JDM''']]: tuned Japanese vehicles.
* '''[[Itasha]]''': cars decorated with images of characters from [[anime]], [[manga]], or [[Video game|video games]]
* '''Kaido Racer''': Japanese style of cars typically with lowered suspension, bright paint jobs, extreme body kits, and extended exhausts, sometimes inspired by Japanese [[Group 5 (racing)|Group 5]] "Super Silhouette" racecars. Commonly associated with the [[Bōsōzoku]].
* [[Kustom (cars)|'''Kustom''']]: Style primarily consisting of American cars built from the 1930s to 1960s customized in the styles of that period.
* '''[[Lowrider]]''': Hydraulic or airbag suspension setups, custom paint, pinstriping, custom interior, and, typically, small diameter wire wheels. Others may look like straight restorations, aside from a low stance.
* '''Military/service style''': Cars designed to look like certain service vehicles.
* [[Off-road vehicle|'''Off-roader''']]''':''' Cars, SUVs, and trucks modified for [[off-roading]], such as overlanding, rock crawling, or desert racing. 
** '''Chopped''' (and stretched): typically [[body-on-frame]] SUV with the rear cargo area, body and/or row(s) of seats chopped off, leaving only the frame. A [[Alloy|full alloy]] [[Flatbed truck|tray]] and [[Camper shell|canopy]] are then put into this space. Wheelbase maybe extended to allow more space for cargo and passengers.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UG0h2TTxQH8 |title=Chopped and stretched Y62 Patrol {{!}} 4X4 Australia |date=2022-02-23 |last=4X4 Australia |access-date=2024-08-05 |via=YouTube}}</ref><ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hI2qTCLI5gI |title=CHOPPED 200 series Landcruiser review, Modified Episode 104 |date=2022-08-06 |last=Ronny Dahl |access-date=2024-08-05 |via=YouTube}}</ref><ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_f4CBCIPu8g |title=CHOPPED Y62 PATROL CANOPY BUILD! Graham's one-of-a-kind DREAM 4WD! |date=2022-03-02 |last=4WD 24-7 |access-date=2024-08-05 |via=YouTube}}</ref>
* '''Outlaw''': Typically [[Porsche 356|Porsches 356]], 911 and [[Volkswagen Karmann Ghia|Karmann Ghias]] modified with more powerful engines, brakes, and a more aggressive appearance. This movement took place in Southern California in the 1960s.
* '''Race car''': Cars built to compete in [[auto racing]].
* '''Rally car''': Cars built to compete in [[Rallying|rallies]].
* '''[[Rat rod]]''': A style of hot rod and custom cars, imitating the "unfinished" appearance of some hot rods in the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s. "Rat style" also defines a car kept on the road despite visible heavy wear.
* '''Restomod''': Classic cars that combine original exterior styling with modern applied technologies (such as new suspension, wheels, transmission) or modern interior features (multimedia, etc.) for comfortable everyday use.
* '''[[Siren kings]]''': A New Zealand Pasifika subculture where cars or bicycles are modified with [[Loudspeaker|loudspeakers]] or [[Public address system|public address systems]] for use in competitive battles.
* '''South London look''': Subtly modified 1950s-1970s British Fords that are lowered, with pastel paint and 13-inch Lotus Cortina steel wheels or RS, Minilite, or Revolution mag wheels. These cars often use a tuned [[Ford Kent engine|Ford Kent]] or [[Ford Pinto engine|Pinto engine]].
* '''[[Slab (car)|Slab]]''': Originated in the [[Houston]] area in the mid-1980s—usually, a full-size American luxury car fitted with custom "elbows", a type of extended wire wheels which protrude out from the fenders, loudspeaker setups, and neon signage inside the trunk panel. Other "slab" modifications include hydraulic-actuated trunk panels (a "pop trunk"), candy paint, vertical stainless steel trim on the trunk panel (known as "belt buckles"), aftermarket grille, and the use of a Cadillac front-end sheet metal conversion. The interiors of slabs are usually clad in beige or tan (in what is called a "peanut butter interior"). Usually associated with [[Southern hip hop#Texas|Houston hip hop]] music.
* [[Sleeper (car)|'''Sleeper''']]: High performance car that appears to be unmodified low performance car.
* '''[[Stance (vehicle)|Stanced]]''': This style is mainly associated with sports and passenger cars with lowered suspension setups. Custom wheels with low-profile tires play a prominent role in this style and often feature aggressive sizes, offsets, and camber.
* '''[[VIP style]]''': A Japanese style of customizing luxury cars.

==Features==
[[File:Reactor by Gene Winfield.jpg|thumb|right|[[The Reactor (show rod)]] by [[Gene Winfield]] with ''paint fade'' style blending from one color to another]]

===Paint===
Custom paint jobs play an essential role in the culture around customized cars. Builders will often use special painting techniques to produce unique finishes, including the use of candy paint, [[metalflake]], and [[ColourShift|color shifting]] paint. Additionally, builders will often create paint jobs with intricate designs or patterns by pinstriping, painting by hand, [[airbrushing]], taping out patterns on the car and painting inside them, painting over [[lace]], overlaying [[gold leaf]], and more. Some customizers will also opt for [[Vinyl wrap|vinyl wraps]], vinyl decals, or [[plastidip]] in place of a traditional paint job. In addition to paint, individual parts of a car may also be chromed, gold plated, or engraved.

Transparent but wildly colored candy-apple paint, applied atop a metallic undercoat, and [[metalflake]] paint, with aluminum glitter within candy-apple paint, appeared in the 1960s. These took many coats to produce a brilliant effect – which tended to flake off in hot climates. This process and style of paint job were invented by [[Joe Bailon]], a customizer from Northern California.

Painting has become such a part of the custom car scene that in many custom car competitions, awards for custom paint are as highly sought after as awards for the cars themselves.

===Engine swaps===
[[File:RickLS1FD.jpg|thumb|[[LS engine|LS1]] V8 engine swap in a [[Mazda RX-7#Third generation (FD3S)|Mazda RX-7 FD]]]]
{{Main articles|Engine swap}}
{{See also|Car tuning}}

Engine swaps are a common modification involving taking the engine from one car and putting it into another, often one that did not initially come with that engine. A few of the most common engines swapped into other vehicles include the [[BMW M54]], [[Chevy small block engine|Chevy small block]], [[Chevy LS]], [[Chrysler Hemi engine|Chrysler Hemi]], [[Cummins B Series engine|Cummins B Series]], [[Ford Barra engine|Ford Barra]], [[Ford Coyote]], [[Ford flathead V8 engine|Ford flathead V8]], [[Honda B engine|Honda B]], [[Honda K engine|Honda K]], [[Mazda 13B]], [[Nissan RB engine|Nissan RB]], [[Nissan SR engine|Nissan SR]], [[Subaru EJ engine|Subaru EJ]], [[Toyota JZ engine|Toyota JZ]], [[Toyota UZ engine|Toyota UZ]], [[Toyota S engine|Toyota S]], and [[Volkswagen V6|Volkswagen VR6]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Bonk |first=Aaron |title=Popular Engine Swaps |url= https://www.motortrend.com/how-to/1404-popular-engine-swaps/}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Hevesy |first=Alex |date=2023-07-02 |title=5 Of The Most Popular Engines For Classic Car Engine Swaps |url= https://www.slashgear.com/1326243/most-popular-engines-swaps-classic-cars/ |access-date=2023-11-22 |website=SlashGear |language=en-US}}</ref> Completing an engine swap typically requires a high level of modification and fabrication to fit the engine and connect it to the host vehicle's body, transmission, and electrics. Many companies sell kits for common engine swaps that include adapter plates for the transmission, K member, engine mounts, front subframe, and more, depending on what ss required for the particular swap. Some engine swaps will use the vehicle's original transmission, while others opt for the transmission from the donor car, or a different transmission entirely.

===Suspension===
{{See also|Suspension lift|Beam_axle#Axle_truss|l2 = Axle truss}}
Solid axle swap (SAS): replacing independent front suspension (IFS) with [[Beam axle|solid axle]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-03-03 |title=SAS-style custom Holden Colorado review |url=https://www.whichcar.com.au/reviews/custom-4x4s/sas-style-custom-holden-colorado-review |access-date=2024-08-05 |website=WhichCar |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-07-31 |title=Epic stretched SAS Ford Ranger! |url=https://www.whichcar.com.au/reviews/custom-4x4s/sas-ford-ranger-custom |access-date=2024-08-05 |website=WhichCar |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Niculescu |first=Aurel |date=2021-11-25 |title=Snow-Wheeling a Straight-Axle SEMA 2021 Ford Bronco on 40s Feels Winter Swapped |url=https://www.autoevolution.com/news/snow-wheeling-a-straight-axle-sema-2021-ford-bronco-on-40s-feels-winter-swapped-175013.html |access-date=2024-08-05 |website=autoevolution |language=en}}</ref>

==Customizers==
Examples of notable American customizers include [[George Barris (auto customizer)|George Barris]], [[Vini Bergeman]], [[Bill Cushenbery]], the [[Alexander Brothers (auto customizers)|Alexander Brothers]], [[Bo Huff]], [[Gil Ayala]],<ref>''Rod & Custom'', 8/89, p. 60.</ref> Darryl Starbird,<ref name="Street Rodder, 1/85, p.56">''Street Rodder'', 1/85, p. 56.</ref> [[Roy Brizio]], [[Troy Trepanier]] (of [[Rad Rides by Troy]]), [[Boyd Coddington]], [[Darryl Hollenbeck]] (working out of at Vintage Color Studios; winner of the 2016 [[America's Most Beautiful Roadster]] (AMBR) trophy with a custom Deuce)<ref name="Shelton, Chris 2017, p.16"/> [[Harry Westergaard]],<ref>''Rod & Custom'', 8/89, p. 55.</ref> [[Dave Stuckey]],<ref name="Street Rodder, 1/85, p.56"/> [[Dean Jeffries]], [[Barry Lobeck]], Phil Cool (who won the 1978 AMBR trophy with a bright orange Deuce, cover car for the July 1978 issue of ''Hot Rod''),<ref>Shelton, Chris. "Then, Now, and Forever" in ''Hot Rod'', March 2017, p. 23.</ref> [[Troy Ladd]] of [[Hollywood Hot Rods]], [[Doane Spencer]] (builder of a 1940s Deuce considered the template for the hiboy),<ref>Shelton, p. 29.</ref> [[Ken Fenical|"Posie"]],<ref>''Rod Action'', 2/85, p. 5.</ref> [[Ron Clark (customizer)|Ron Clark]] and [[Bob Kaiser (customizer)|Bob Kaiser]] (of [[Clarkaiser Custom]]s),<ref>Fetherston, David, "Detroit Dreams", in ''Rod & Custom'', 7/95, p. 58.</ref> [[Joe Bailon]]<ref name="Street Rodder, 1/85, p.56"/> (inventor of candy apple paint),<ref>Ganahl, Pat, "The Candy Man", in ''Rod & Custom'', 7/95, p. 81.</ref> [[Gene Winfield]], [[Rick Dore]]<ref>{{cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=mTCkZlTKrGsC&q=%22Rick+dore%22&pg=PA94 |title=Art of the Hot Rod|first=Ken|last=Gross|date=2012|publisher=Motorbooks|isbn=9780760343005|via=Google Books}}</ref> [[Joe Wilhelm]], [[Dick Megugorac|"Magoo"]],<ref>''Street Rodder'', 12/98, p. 206.</ref> [[Chip Foose]],<ref>Bishop, Mike, "The 45th Grand National Roadster Show", in ''American Rodder'', 6/94, p. 27.</ref> [[Pete Chapouris]] and notable custom car designer [40] [[Keith Kaucher]].

Others, such as [[Kenny Howard|Von Dutch]], are best known as custom painters. Several customizers have become famous beyond the automobile community, including Barris, Jeffries, and Coddington, thanks to their proximity to [[Cinema of the United States|Hollywood]]; Barris designed TV's [[Batmobile]], while Chapouris built the [[The California Kid (custom car)|flamed '34 three-window coupé]] in the eponymous [[television film|telefilm]] ''[[The California Kid]]''. Another Barris creation, [[Ala Kart (custom car)|''Ala Kart'']] (a '29 [[Ford Model A (1927)|Ford Model A]] roadster pickup), made numerous appearances in film after taking two AMBR wins in a row.

==Awards==
One of the most coveted awards for American customizers is the AMBR ([[America's Most Beautiful Roadster]]) trophy, presented annually at the Grand National Roadster Show since 1948 (also known within the customizer community as the Oakland Roadster Show until it was moved to Southern California in 2003). This competition has produced famous and radical customs.

Another is the [[Ridler Award]], presented at the [[Detroit Autorama]] since 1964 in honor of show promoter Don Ridler. With one of the most unusual car show entry requirements, the Ridler Award winners are selected as the most outstanding among cars being shown for the first time. This prompts builders of many high-end roadsters to enter Autorama first and then the Grand National show to have the chance to win top honors at both shows. Few cars and owners can claim this achievement.

==Notable customs==
[[File:Monkeemobile2.jpg|thumb|''The [[Monkeemobile]]'' from ''[[The Monkees (TV Series)|The Monkees]]'']]
Some customs gained attention for winning awards at shows or for their outlandish styling. Some examples include [[Silhouette (show car)|''Silhouette'']] and [[Ed Roth]]'s [[Mysterion (show rod)|''Mysterion'']]. Some notable custom cars have been turned into [[Hot Wheels]] cars or other scale models, such as [[The Red Baron (custom car)|''The Red Baron'']].

Other custom cars became notable for appearances in film (such as ''Ala Kart'' {1958},<ref>''Hot Rod'', 12/86, p. 29 sidebar.</ref> ''The California Kid'' three-window {1973},<ref>''Hot Rod'', 12/86, p. 29.</ref> the yellow deuce from "[[American Graffiti]]" {1973}, the [[Batmobile|Batmobiles]] from Batman, the [[Pursuit Special]] from [[Mad Max]], and more) or television (such as ''The [[Monkeemobile]]'' from the [[The Monkees (TV Series)|"Monkees"]], and [[KITT]] from [[Knight Rider (1982 TV series)|''Knight Rider'']]). 

Other notable customs exemplified a trend. One of these is the 1951 Merc built by the Barris brothers for Bob Hirohata in 1953, known as the [[Hirohata Merc]]. Even without an appearance in the film ("Runnin' Wild"), it is one of the most iconic 1950s customs.<ref>''Rod & Custom'', 8/89, pp. 8 & 10.</ref> The same year, [[Neil Emory]] and [[Clayton Jensen]] of [[Valley Custom Shop]] built [[Polynesian (custom car)|''Polynesian'']] for Jack Stewart, starting with a 1950 [[Oldsmobile 88#First generation (1949–1953)|Holiday 88 sedan]].<ref>[http://www.customrodder.com/features/0609cr_1950_oldsmobile_polynesian/index.html%7C_new ''Custom Rodder'' online]{{Dead link|date=September 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} (retrieved 28 July 2018)</ref> ''Polynesian'' made the cover of [[Hot Rod Magazine|''Hot Rod'']] in August, and saw 54 pages of construction details in ''[[Motor Trend]] Custom Car Annual'' in 1954.<ref>''Rod & Custom'', 8/89, p. 68.</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery mode="packed" heights="130">
File:1964 Chevrolet Impala Gypsy Rose.jpg|1964 [[Chevrolet Impala (fourth generation)|Chevrolet Impala]] named "Gypsy Rose" on display in the [[Petersen Automotive Museum]], considered to be one of the most iconic lowriders ever built
File:Rünge Flyer (custom Porsche) at Bridgehampton, front left.jpg|Rünge Flyer with a hand-built aluminum body over a steel tube frame
File:-37, 1995 Dodge Neon ACR, Improved Touring A, Group 3 (52372829680).jpg|[[Dodge Neon]] ACR modified for [[Auto racing|racing]]
File:Jzx100chaser.jpg|[[Toyota Chaser#6th Generation (X100; 1996)|Toyota Chaser]] modified for [[Drifting (motorsport)|drifting]]
File:1985 Chevrolet C10 - Red Rocker (3883436904).jpg|Customized 1985 [[Chevrolet C/K (third generation)|Chevrolet C10]] with a flame paintjob
File:Toyota Supra 1994 - Mondial de l'Automobile de Paris 2016 - 002.jpg|Modified Toyota Supra used in [[The Fast and the Furious (2001 film)|The Fast and the Furious (2001)]]
File:Osaka Auto Messe 2018 (547) - RWB993 Rough Rhythm.jpg|[[Porsche 993|Porsche 993 911]] with a [[RAUH-Welt BEGRIFF]] widebody kit
File:Baja Bug.jpg|[[Volkswagen Beetle]] turned into a [[Baja Bug]] for off-road racing
File:2002 Volkswagen Bora Sport TDi Smyth Performance Pickup Conversion 1.9 Rear.jpg|Volkswagen Bora sedan converted into a [[Car body style#Ute|ute]] using a custom kit
File:Mazda Miata NA custom interior.jpg|Custom interior in a [[Mazda MX-5 (NA)|Mazda Miata]]
File:Airbrushed mural on the trunk of a lowrider.jpg|Painted mural on the trunk of a lowrider
File:Yamato's itasha, Kantai Collection 20181208f.jpg|A [[Mazda 3]] with an [[Itasha]] style wrap
</gallery>

==See also==
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[Adapted automobile]]
* [[Automotive restoration]]
* [[Car tuning]]
* [[Automobile_engine_replacement#EV_crate_engines|Crate engine]]
* [[Custom motorcycle]]
* [[Electric vehicle conversion]]
* [[Hot hatch]]
* [[Hot rod]]
* [[Import scene]]
* [[Kustom (cars)|Kustom]]
* [[Lead sled]]
* [[Lowrider]]
* [[Pimp My Ride]]
* [[Rat rod]]
* [[Rice burner]]
* [[Sleeper (car)]]
* [[Street racing]]
* [[Tuner (car)|Tuner]]
* [[Virtual tuning]]
{{div col end}}

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Portal|Cars|Comics}}
* {{Commons category-inline|Custom automobiles}}
{{Kustom Kulture}}
{{Automobile configuration}}
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[[Category:Modified vehicles]]
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[[Category:DIY culture]]
[[Category:Automotive styling features]]
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