| Nevermore |
03-16-2017 04:51 PM |
Hmmm... I've only gotten into car stuff after getting the FR-S and even then I'm still completely new to everything. As someone standing on the outskirts of the scene, perhaps I can give an unfiltered opinion? I think I can answer these questions with percentages, maybe.
Build: This seems to be a subjective word, but I think it can have a meaning. My car might, at most, end up with wheels, exhaust and tune. I don't consider this a build because I am only modifying it, not building it for anything other than enjoyment. The simplest definition of this term then becomes "when the car is for more than simply driving, i.e. tracking, showing, being used for sponsorship" with tracking being the loosest term because you can track anything as long it passes inspection.
So let's do it by percentage. Perhaps a car becomes a build when 25% or more of the parts on the car did not come on it stock? And maybe not 25% of all parts, but of essential parts like anything in the suspension, drivetrain and engine bay. If you place a significant number of parts you probably have a build going. If you have a few bolt-ons? Probably not.
Built not bought: Sorry, I agree with most of what was said already. You bought the car, you bought the parts, and you probably paid someone to tune it for you. Turning the wrench doesn't mean you built it. Just because you put together your Ikea bookshelf doesn't mean you're a furniture craftsmen. I get the mentality, I really do. You turned the car into something better than it was from the factory, you've made it your own. But all those parts you bought were developed and tested by someone else that made sure they worked properly before you got them to make sure your build was smooth. You can call it your creation, but I don't think you can say you built it.
Original shaped thing that's obviously not the original: This is tricky because it fits two categories, rebuilt classics and hopped up racecars. I'll give percentages, but first basic definitions. The rebuilt classic is very subjective, because I think as long as it looks the way it did before then it's still the same car, even if it has been extensively improved. Others probably feel it should keep original body parts, frame, and engine. I think level of replacement is key too. Is it a re-manufactured frame or a race tub? Is it a rebuilt engine or a crate performance engine? I think all new performance parts push it away while all new production parts keep it closer to home.
The racecar is easier. If you take a car and replace the frame, engine, suspension, drivetrain and most of the body panels then it's definitely not the same car. That being said, replacing engine and transmission but leaving most things the way they are doesn't turn the car into something else, at least not completely.
Percentages: In general, if more than 50% of the major components have been replaced, then it's probably not the same car. This is subjective for rebuilds/restomods. If everything that was used was performance based and completely transforms the car, then it might not be the same. If everything that was used was new production correct era parts, then it could still be the same. On the flip side, a racecar with a new engine and transmission with some other upgrades could still be the same car, but if you've replaced the majority of the parts with serious upgrades, it's in name only.
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