Any mods you regret

[zooboy]

Are there any modifications that you have done to your car that you wish you had"nt? I have a long list of things I want to do to my car as I build it from the frame up. Will I regret some of my choices, or wish I had done more. Shaved door handles or not, after market air or factory, modify the dash or stock? Has anybody done a mod they thoght would be cool and hated it after? Your thoughts.:dunno:

[NOT A TA]

I eliminated the dome light and shoulder harness mounts in my Firebird when I installed a new headliner. Thought it'd give it a smooth uncluttered appearance and I'd already planned on harnesses. Looks awesome in the daytime but since most of my driving is at night I really miss that dome light! I put brighter bulbs under the dash but it just isn't the same.

[shizzy]

too loud of exhaust, drag shocks, removing insulation from the floors and fire wall and removing the heat.

loud and hot/cold :hand:

[69bigblock]

To much compression in my engine, have to run race gas. I always wanted to do a full frame up with my car but never had my own garage. I recently bought a house and will some day do it..

[oestek]

I've regretted too much cam (duration) for street engines... you look like an idiot at stoplights when the car is undulating like a giant DA sander, and it didn't perform any better.

[parsonsj]

1. After driving my car over the past few days with my new Delrin sway bar bushings, I regret I ever tried to use bearings for that.

2. I swapped the car back to an LS6 clutch (from the custom-made race clutch) and love the lack of drama when using it now.

jp

[The Rook]

I think all of the Mods on this forum are awesome. Yes this is a blatant attempt at sucking up.

[TonyL]

+1 bonus point for The Rook.

My exhaust. It's far too loud, and hangs way too low. It's the first thing I'm changing.

[whytry]

I would have to go with tearing out all insulation and dynamat to make it lighter, and then all drag suspension... As you can see now, its all back in there, and more driveable with street suspension, I like to spend money 2x!!:banghead: And thanks for reminding me...

[Blown353]

My 700R4. Had problems from day 1, wanted a stick anyways, but let someone talk me into the 700R4. Threw a $600 converter at it and made things worse. Eventually blew it up and gave it away and ebay'd the POS converter.

First engine build. Went too big on the cam, not enough compression for the cam, and a big single plane intake. I quickly found that a 455hp 353" SBC was way too peaky and a 2200 stall converter and 3.42 gears were a poor match for the soft lower end of the RPM range.

B-body spindles & front suspension, although at the time I did it (2000) it was about the best thing going on an A-body.

In the last 5 years or so I really haven't done anything I regret. I do a lot more research now and think things out a lot longer before I jump into anything.

[SHANE 73Z]

I gotta agree with Tony. My original exhaust hung far too low. Its amazing how tight you can get an exhaust with a little patience.

Shane

[Mathius]

Oh god yes. I regret one of the mods I did, and one that isn't really a mod.

I regret putting in headers without researching more. I bought a cheap set from Summit. The quality is fine, but spark plug changes are horrendous now. I would have been more happy with a set of shorties that allowed me to get at my plugs, or weld up my own.

Second, not really a mod... My factory floor rusted out bigtime. Car sat in a field for 2 years prior to me rescuing it. I replaced it using "factory style replacement patch pans). Basically 4 separate pans that with the tranny tunnel is supposed to make a floor. Standard procedure for replacing a floor pan on a less popular car they don't make a full floor for.

Anyways, the floor came out nice, but the factory floorpan didn't leave clearance for me to run a side exit exhaust like I want. There is no clearance for the mufflers that far up under the car. I would have been far happier laying my exhaust and then building my own floor over top of it.

Mathius

[GBodyGMachine]

Not painting the car first. Now after driving it for a year I get to take it apart and do all the body work and paint. Not really a mod, but a regret.

Mods:
-Exhaust, hangs about 2-3" off the ground, and is really loud.
-Making BMW wheels fit. So much time and effort, could have bought a custom set.

[brownz]

the thing with mine is going the drag car route skinny tire up front. but did not get it done so saved some $ and sold the rest of the parts that were new and lost $ and that sucks but live and learn

[cheapthrillz]

Just sold my 86 camaro (thank god) and the only thing that I regreted about that car was paying $1000 for it in the first place! I did learn alot from having the car though. I learned that half ass doing things doesn't work out in the end. I will never buy another cheap car unless I plan on doing a ground up. I expected to build a decent car with not a lot of money, and I found out really quickly that it is not worth the aggrivation. Next time, I will make sure the money is there before I get in over my head.

[Tony_SS]

Going with chambered mufflers and no x-pipe.

[protour_chevelle]

exhaust being too low. and not planning far enough ahead. But thats something that can't really be avoided. Some things come to mind and I gotta do it type deal.

[zooboy]

Wow, I did'nt know there was so much repressed automotive angst out there. Please tell me more.

[CarlC]

I was happy with every mod until I met David Pozzi and Chicane. They cost me lots of money.

[John McIntire]

yeah, I'll have to agree on the exhaust part, but as loud as it is/was, I still love it! It's not like I drive it everyday!
The second thing for me is not putting swing-outs on my rollcage when I had it installed, I couldn't afford it at the time, and went ahead with it anyways. It gets real old climbing over the down bars every time you get in and out.
Thats all I can think of right now

[DLinson]

no front inner fenders. Seeing the custom suspension and stuff is neat but sucks to clean.

One-off spindles, hard to make changes to brakes.

Big stereo system, I've only turned it on twice when driving the car. Big weight penelty too.

My wife regrets the 3.5" exhaust with 2 chamber Flowmaster mufflers, I still like it though.

Running a big solid roller cam. That lifter rattle noise make me nervous, I've never had a solid roller cam before this one. My friend just tells me to get use to it.

I'm sure I'll find more after driving the car some more, I only have about 1000 miles on it so far.

Dennis

[Damn True]

I regret Zbugger.

[MrQuick]

LOL, I regret not working on my own cars when I had the chance....

Mods.....nope, love them all. Homework and watching everyone eles making the mistakes makes me happy with my actions.

[zbugger]

I regret Zbugger.

Me too...

[68Formula]

I regret every mod I make because it seems everytime I do an upgrade something better comes out 6 months later. Luckily it's typically more expensive too, so I don't regret it too much.

[BonzoHansen]

I think all of the Mods on this forum are awesome. Yes this is a blatant attempt at sucking up.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2008/03/brown_noser-1.gif


Um, for me I think it is mostly the stuff I did not do...like on my 3rd gen, not changing the motor mounts while the engine was out....

[go-fish]

I think I should have just saved my money and bought a 70 'cuda already finished.......................or a Viper.

$65,000 - $72,000 later and still no paint and the engine is done but not dropped in.

[formula]

I don't regret any mods I've done, just regret the shortcuts I took to get them done in time.

[oorange67]

My c5 vette is too low. Lowered 1 1/2 inches all around on stock bolts. I've torn off 2 tiger shark front spoilers. It looks great but is no fun to drive.

[GTOnate]

I regret saving my money for mods in a joint savings account DOH! Wife takes it out as fast as I put it in lol

[negcreep]

I should have spent more time researching exhaust systems as well. I chose my headers long before I built the rest of the sytem. I ended up with really low collectors, and did not feel like pulling the engine back out to change headers. Wish I would have bit the bullet and dropped the cash for an aluminum block as well. After all the work my cast iron one took to get ready, I would have been more than half way there. Also adding weld in sub fram connectors would have been nice. I am trying to switch my 20/20 hindsight to my foresight. Any help with that. Good post

[Jim Nilsen]

I remember on my other 67 filling in the rocker to qtr seams , trunk to qtr and rear panel to qtr with filler to smooth it out and then having it crack and fill with moisture and weep rust or just look bad.

I used seam sealer this time and took extra time to to make it look nice and flat because I had the time to do it and now you just see a slight shadow line as the temp changes at certain angles and it hasn't shown any problems yet , but when we get it all twisting we will see if I still feel that way but for now it looks great !!!

[navyflyer72]

Two regrets, neither are mods though really:

1) Painting the car too soon into the project.

2) Trying to do electrical myself.

Now I will end up paying for both to be redone to some extent...

and generally jumping at a deal before researching was something I tended to do ini the past, but this website has helped greatly as a research tool to help me decide the direction of my project.

[molyorange 77]

I regret saving my money for mods in a joint savings account DOH! Wife takes it out as fast as I put it in lol Damn that sounds all to familiar to me:crying:

[Yelcamino]

Are there any modifications that you have done to your car that you wish you had"nt? I have a long list of things I want to do to my car as I build it from the frame up. Will I regret some of my choices, or wish I had done more. Shaved door handles or not, after market air or factory, modify the dash or stock? Has anybody done a mod they thoght would be cool and hated it after? Your thoughts.:dunno:

Honestly? Every damn one of them!!! If I hadn't built my cars you know how much money I'd have in my pocket right now? :hammer:

But then when I think about it, I probably would have spent it something else and not only would I not have all that money, I wouldn't have my cars either! Sooo, with that said, I don't regret anything I've done to my cars. :bananna2:

[megaladon6]

not running a higher compression ratio, not getting a 2 or 3 pc timing cover, tring to use sidepipes (they look cool but there's not enough ground clearance), and all the money i spent on ARP bolts!
actually i figure that my level of mistakes is pretty low for a first timer.

[TonyHuntimer]

My biggest regret was installing a Steeroids rack and pinion kit in my 68 Camaro...:drive1: ....and writing about it in my book. It hangs down too far and has bump steer issues. Converting back to stock steering would be an upgrade!

I wish Unisteer had been available at the time.

Tony Huntimer
RaceHome.com

[Restomod]

Well its not done yet but with gas getting ready to crack $4 a gallon the 552ci engine may not have been the way to go........

[CliffsBlueCamaro]

Having 4:11's installed on a car that I would really love to cruise on the highway...

It goes like stink from a dead stop, but the fun is over once you pass 50mph - RPM's stay high, and comfort level drops. :guilty:

[Ekki]

I think I should have just saved my money and bought a 70 'cuda already finished.......................or a Viper.

$65,000 - $72,000 later and still no paint and the engine is done but not dropped in.
AMEN!

I thought I was the only one...

[Dwbiggs]

$65,000 - $72,000 later and still no paint and the engine is done but not dropped in.

:eek: :eek: Wow! Can't imagine that...I guess there is not much left on the car that is stock eh? Think I have around 20K in mine after to paintings and two different motors.

[Ricoch3T]

Haha I agree with you, its crossed my mind several times. I could have saved and bought a vette or that 911 I was eyeballing.

Other than that
prolly too big a cam in a 6speed car. its not THAT big but I think the 6speed makes it worse.
Going with a rollbar in my car/or not going ahead with the full cage instead. Put the 4pt in b/c i figured I could upgrade to a 6pt later on if I decided to take it into the 11's sometime. For the most part though I planned on it being JUST a street car.
I'm sure there more but I can't think of them right now




Honestly? Every damn one of them!!! If I hadn't built my cars you know how much money I'd have in my pocket right now? :hammer:

But then when I think about it, I probably would have spent it something else and not only would I not have all that money, I wouldn't have my cars either! Sooo, with that said, I don't regret anything I've done to my cars. :bananna2: