Need input from members- please look inside.

[TitoJones]

Guys/Gals-

When you see an amazing car at a show, track, or magazine what key pieces of info do you want to know about the car?
I'm trying to see what key elements people want to know about upon looking at the car for the first time- ie Engine type, displacement, year of car, model, trans type, color of paint, suspension options, builder, etc.

If you took at look at Stielow's Camaro X what would you ask about first?

I will revel why I'm looking for this info after we get a few responses.

Tyler

[69Nova]

If I saw a car at a track I'd probly ask about the model and year(if I dont know what it is) then the chassis and drive train. And what type of events that cars was built for.

At a show I'd probly ask who built it, how long it took to build .

[ullose2]

The first things I always want to know are what kind of numbers did/can the car put down. Be it dragstrip, skidpad, slalom, etc. I mainly want to know if it can walk the walk. Then from that point questions about suspension and engine mods as well as who built it come to mind. Thats just me though.


Heath

[Steve Chryssos]

Manual or Automatic :lmao:

[TitoJones]

Manual or Automatic :lmao:

You selfish *******. :machine:

Tyler

[Tom Welch]

When I look at first Gen F-bodies in any situation, I am intersted in the following info. Performance numbers, any relevant performance info about the car. I also want to know what was done to the car to achieve said performance, and how it was done. I prefer the do it yourself type of build, since this is how I'm doing it. The suspension, tire and wheel combo, brake system, etc. I really look hard for the "nuts and bolts" about how and what the car has had done to it. The bodywork and paint, then interior. I am very critical of my own stuff so I am critical of everything out there, at least to myself. I want to know it all, I never will but thats what I seek.

[Steve1968LS2]

Engine, trans, suspension, chassis in that order unless I don't know the year/model then that would be first.

[TitoJones]

Hmm. This is getting some good responses that are making me re-think how I relay the info to the casual on-looker.

Imagine the owner not being present with the car, and you can still get key bits of info- but nothing too detailed. Example would be if you wanted to know the wheel combo, make, model, size, backspacing, and tire sizing, but I could only fit the bare minimum:


HRE C21 18x8.5F/18x11R

vs

HRE Performance C21 wheels, 18x8.5" with 5.645" of Backspacing, Grey centers, Michelin Pilot Cup 245/35/YR/18

Would this be acceptable at a first glance? Most of you know exactly what the above text means.

Another example would be engine size, type and displacement:

GM 427 LS7

vs

2006 General Motors 427 Cubic Inch LS7

Imagine a small postcard with bare essentail info on it, what is your main crietria? Try to keep it under 10 items if you can.

Here is my list:

1. Year, Make, and model.
2. Engine type and displacement
3. Trans type
4. Wheels/tires
5. Builder/Build date
6. Paint color
7. Chassis


Tyler

[Steve1968LS2]

If you don't know an LS7 is a GM engine then you have other issues.

Wheel brand if it's not on the wheel and people always want to know backspacing. The tire size is on the tire :)

Paint color and PAINT CODE if it's an OEM color..


Oh and the most important question....

Does it help you get chicks?


lol

[trapin]

Honestly....what attracts me at first are the wheels. If I see big wheels, then I know we might have a potential Pro-Touring candidate in our midst. I then check the motor, hoping for an LS engine. Next I look at the control arms, shocks, sway bar to see if there's any g-machine goodies in there. Next up is interior, I love custom interiors. I finally end my viewing session by investigating what design or parts ideas I can steal for my car. If the owners around I'll throw a shout out to him. Then I go merrily on my way.

[Bill Howell]

Usually it is the hot chick in the car that catches my attention first, but then, I may be on the wrong page here.....

Seriously, I look at paint, fit and finish first, then wheels are a close second.

[BA.]

As I try to put myself into the "wow!" frame of mind, I think of two particular cars in recent times. Penny and Ring Bro's Mustang.
I can still feel that feeling, the impact that each car has.

After I get over the wow factor.....

1. Who's car is that? (Builder/Owner)
2. Basic engine stats (size, Make, power...details later)
3. Paint (who made it - color name)
4. Wheels
5. Performance stats
6. Interior pieces (designer or aftermarket parts/seats)

Like Tony said above, at a track, the order changes a bit! :)

I like the shorter methods of data. Details can be found in other ways or at a later time.

[monza]

The basics, model, year and pedigree? (to confirm my guess)
Engine and other performance parts?
If its local.. Who owns that?
Who did the body work and paint? (if it is tight and right... but thats why I'm looking)

[HEMIDAYTONA]

1 paint/body fit/finish
2 stance/wheel/tire
3 fitment of wheels/tires
4 how detailed the car is

[hectore3]

1. Corner weights
2. Front/Rear weight distribution
3. braking systems OEM or aftermarket. And if aftermarket availability or replacement parts
4. Cost options for build
5. Unique features that set it apart from other builders. Like carbon fiber driveshafts,hoods or independent rear end conversion etc.
6. details like panel gaps and general workmanship and attention to detail.

Just a few things I would ask if I were spending the kind of money I see sunk into high end rides.

[MrQuick]

1) stance
2) suspension type/construction
3) under hood blending
4) wiring
5) fit and finish
6) overall styling (shoes match the dress)

When I first saw Bob's Cuda at SEMA I was under it most of the time.

[65protourgto]

Avg hp and tq, 1/4mile, skidpad( if its a pro touring caror a car thats meant to go around corners), engine size, whats been done to the motor, trans, rearend, chassis, body mods, fit and finish, etc

[David Sloan]

1.Stance= it brings me to the car
2.Paint/body fit/ finish= keeps me there long enough to see if its a player or a slayer
3.Suspension/Brakes= if its good then i'am crawing on the ground to see what has been done under the car.
4. wiring=you can tell alot about a build by the wiring.
5. how clean it is under the hood=Did they plan it or did they just put parts on it.

[BonzoHansen]

Man, for me, it is really hard to say. The car often leads me in a direction. Is it a restoration? Is it modified? Is it an uncommon car (a Corvair, a Cougar, etc.)? Does it have any cool details? Often I am looking for ideas and lessons learned. What I basically look at, in no particular order….

-Year/Make/Model
-How long have you owned it?
-Who painted it, what color is it, paint codes/details.
-Did you do the work – And I do not look down on ‘checkbook cars’ if the owner is cool & knows his car. I’m no elitist.
-How long did the process take? If applicable, what shop, how long. I never ask $$ unless it is brought up
-Engine - EFI – almost always peaks my curiosity. How? Pitfalls? I’m also more interested in cool details and oddball combos.
-Trans – Looking for upgrades. How? Pitfalls?
-Brakes/Suspension/Wheels/Tires
-Custom work – interior, AC, whatever. I see something cool & out of the norm, I gotta know.

Then there are the cars that lead me down the wrong path. They make me ask questions in my head like “What the hell is that? Is that a block of wood screwed to your inner fender? Who spray painted your v-belts?”. But I don’t ask, of course. Well, those are actual questions I have asked co-horst at cruises this year, but not the owners. LOL.

[69Nova]

I will revel why I'm looking for this info after we get a few responses.

Are you ready to revel anything yet????

[TitoJones]

Great responses.

What we are working on is a customized trim tag for car builders and owners. we are going to have them water jet cut out of aluminum and stainless steel and then we will laser etch all the new info about the car on the tag. We plan to include the following options:

VIN
Engine size/type/displacement
Trans type
Chassis type/mods
Wheel brand/size
Builder/build date
Paint color
Vehicle make/model/year
Performance specs/HP/TQ/Quarter Mile/skid pad/lateral-g
Small area for logo or graphic

We might even leave it up to each client to let us know which fields they want added or subtracted.

The plan is to have most done in an aluminum plate with black anodizing, but we will also do stainless steel with black laser etch, and different anodized colors upon request (red, blue, green etc)

We are going for the modernized look of a Ferrari or Aston Martin serial plate, but people have already requested a vintage style made of brass or similar material.

So now that you guys are armed with that info, how many of you will change your answers?

Tyler

[BonzoHansen]

Mna, that is a lot of info. Is this thing gonna be 8.5x11? :look:

[TitoJones]

I would be similar to something like this:

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

For most of the details it would be short-

1G1483L89002
GM 427 LS7
Tremec T-56
HRE C21 18x8.5F/18x11R
ATS Chicane-LM front frame
1998 Jeep steel gray paint
1967 Chevy Camaro convert
12.8 @ 114mph/.91 Lateral G
378 hp/412 tq
Built for John Doe by ATS 8/07

Get it?

Tyler

[Damn True]

Neat idea. Not my cup of tea but I imagine there might be a lot of folks interested in such a thing.

[Steve Chryssos]

That's a great idea.

[Larry Callahan]

Can you make me one with question marks in all the spots? LOL!!!

On a serious note.. Very cool!

[jknight16]

I think this is a great idea. Unfortunately for me, I'll have to wait many years to buy one until I'm sure nothing is going to change, but depending on cost, maybe it wouldn't be such a big deal to buy a new one once or twice before it's all said and done.

[Yelcamino]

At first glance this is a really cool idea and I even thought about what info I’d like to have on one for my car; but I think it might have some limitations.

To begin with, when I see a cool car at an event, my first thoughts are who built the car, a shop or the owner? When I see a sweet ride and find out that it was entirely (or even mostly) built by the owner, I’m even more impressed. Not to take anything away from a professionally built car, but IMHO, a pro-built car is expected to be off the hook because if it isn’t, what’s the point of paying a shop to build it?

Hopefully I can now clarify where I’m going with my rambling…

If the car in question is professionally built, then the tag will be a nice addition to the final product. Chances are, the reason the owner had a shop build it is because that person doesn’t have the knowledge, skill, or time to build it himself. With that said, a laser etched tag displaying specific info attached to the vehicle like in the example you show, is a cool idea. The info on the tag will remain accurate because the owner (probably) will never change anything on the car.

However, if the car is homebuilt, then the permanent info will become outdated over time. Take my El Camino for example. Since I started on it back in '98, it's had 3 different wheel/tire combos, 2 transmissions, 2 engines, 2 brake systems, 4 radiators, 3 fuel tanks, and the list goes on and I doubt it will ever end. As we all know, the average Joe isn't rich (e.g., me), so items that fit within the current budget are installed only to be upgraded down the road as money and new ideas/products become available.

No matter how “done” a car appears to be, if it’s homebuilt, it will continue to evolve over time ultimately making the info on the tag obsolete. For the pro-built car, it's a great idea!

[jknight16]

As we all know, the average Joe isn't rich (e.g., me), so items that fit within the current budget are installed only to be upgraded down the road as money and new ideas/products become available.

For the pro-built car, it's a great idea!

This is exactly what I was thinking about the idea.

[muthstryker]

the first thing i notice about a car is the stance, then i ask questions about motor, chassis, ect ect.. but that is really what catches my eye. like the good guys show i went to this last weekend, i walked by alot of cars. just a habbit i gusse.

[Tom Welch]

OK, how much and when??

[ITLBTU]

Why don't you put a basic spec sheet on the window, and then make a little booklet or a more detailed sheet for those who know and appreciate what they are looking at.

PS... Did you ever get those measuments for me?

[TitoJones]

Here is the 1st prototype serial plate. We will change the bottom 2 slots to be Paint color and wheel combo. The Logo at the top can be replaced with any image you want as well.

Let me know what you guys think.

Tyler

[BA.]

havin' trouble getting to the jpg file. I can see the thumbnail though.

[D Rock]

Same here, I really want to see the picture.

[colt zantop]

wheels and stance get my attention...then I make my way to the engine compartment, check out suspension and then interior. I also have a soft spot for custom interior!!!! :)

[00fxd]

I agree that a plate would be informative but I also agree with Yelcamino. My car is also always evolving.
The first thing I look for on an older car now is it upgraded to fuel injection, [I'm done with carbs] then hope to see a later engine LS etc, then I look for suspension upgrades and wheels.

[TitoJones]

Does this one work?

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

Keep in mind that the ATS logo will be substituted for any .jpg you'd like to put on the tag. We can also customize the fields if you want to add or subtract any part of it.

Tyler

[High Plains Mopars]

Well, if I'm at a show and there is a sea of cars, then there has to be something to grab my attention to make me want to go over and investigate further. This means I will proably check out a Studebaker that is pretty plain, but I'll walk right by the sea of new Mustangs and 69 Camaros.

There has to be something special that will get me to look at more mainstream vehicles that could be stance, especially if it sits lower or higher than the surrounding vehicles, but it could also be tires if they have particularly stuffed wells. It could be the engine if it has some set up that is out of the norm. There has to be some visual difference to make me want to go spend time with it.

Once I'm there, I'll look for specifics on what grabbed my attention. There also is the overall view of the car is next. Does the sum of the parts equal the intent of the car. Is it a purpose built vehicle, specialized application, all around cruiser. Then I look for details, wheres the battery at, how did they route wires, are those accesories covers real aluminum or painted plastic, is the dash mostly stock or hacked, little stuff like that. Actual performance numbers are nice to see if it is a performance oriented vehicle, and this would be a time slip or other such third part documentation. I rarely ever care about mathmatical performance, engine size, rear end gears, or trans type since that stuff can all be BS if the owners wants to lie about it. Plus there is always some yahoo who has gone faster with less that will be shooting their mouth off about how they could have built said car for half as much, etc.

[skatinjay27]

very cool idea tyler!!!!!!