Ok, wraps with lots of graphics and stuff can be kind of cool, but how about doing a wrap for a color change? Check out this 3-series in Munich, Germany. I guess the guy thought white would look better than black. There have been a lot of matte black wraps lately, too, like the one on this F430. Keep in mind this treatment costs anywhere from $1,500 to $4,000, and the door jams, etc., remain unchanged. So what do you think of this trend? More pics of the Bimmer after the jump. Source: e90post.com via Jalopnik.

Continue reading "Color Change Via Wrap?" »

Some people love their favorite movies just a little too much, so much so that they’re willing to inflict them on their cars. Like, I’m a huge fan of The Return of the Living Dead, but would I do a zombie-punk treatment on my diesel Escort? Gee, come to think of it, maybe I’m onto something there. There, see how easy it is to fall into that trap? Like the Lord of the Rings car we showed you awhile back, there’s something about the Matrix Subaru that’s just a little… off. It kind of reminds me of when someone tries to get a tattoo of a loved one’s face—it’s a nice idea, but it just never works out the way you pictured it. More views below the jump.

Source: Concept Cars.

Continue reading "Whoa: Matrix-Themed Subaru" »

• Ben was reminiscing about the good ‘ol days and flashed a few pics about his first car audio system. It was a pretty impressive system for day: two 12" Pyle subs, an Autotek amp, Boston Speakers and a Panasonic head unit. Mine system was in an 87 Civic Si: a single JBL 8" woofer, Pioneer amp,  Blaupunkt speakers and Sony CD player. We’ve all come a long way since then…. Do you remember your first system?
• Home audiophiles come up with some pretty crazy stuff to stretch out every last dB of sounds quality from their systems. Some even resort to using video RCA cables rather than audio RCAs, assuming the lower resistance allows for better flow of the audio signal. Is this a good idea for a car audio system?
• CarDomain member OneCrazy95Civic has been modifying his Civic for a few years now. Once he was "satisfied" with his first award-winning design, he ripped it all apart and has been building out an even crazier all new design. The system list is enough to put almost any system to shame, and the install… Well, you just have to check out the videos. Seriously.
• Throwing down a paint job on a project using rattle can leave a lot to be desired when it comes to accuracy and precision. Unless you really enjoy sanding, you should check out Alsa’s Killer Cans.

Can’t afford to take your car to Maaco? Want to do it yourself for under $100? Well, a technique involving foam brushes and Rustoleum has been circling the net for a while now. I first saw it on Moparts last year, and it was featured in Hot Rod a few months later. The two best documented examples I’ve seen on the web recently are on at Chevy Corvair at rickwrench.com and on a Chevy Beretta at stylusscustoms.com.

What’s the cheapest paint job you’ve done, and how did it come out?

Stumbling upon Jeff’s new ride page, I was stoked to discover that orange kandy paint looks just as good on a 1st-gen Camaro as it does on a 1st-gen Escort. Reading a little further, I was struck by the close similarities between this car’s story and that of my own project: both cars were passed on to the current owners from within the family, both were daily driven, both subsequently became rotted junk and then sat for a long time before undergoing a complete restoration. The only difference was that the Camaro was severely rear-ended (my car got rear-ended, but it didn’t hurt it any), and it looks like it probably took a lot more bodywork to bring this muscle car back from the brink. Jeff’s work has totally paid off, though: the Camaro is currently the top-rated ride on our site. Congrats, man!