Modifying a car specifically to stand out at a show is an art. In this guide, we’ll break down five key looks to help you build a show car of your dreams.
When you modify a car, you tend to have an idea of how you want the car to turn out. Whether that’s more performance, cooler styling, retromodding, audio, whatever it might be. That being said, making those cars stand out at a show is another ball game.
We’ve broken down the most popular looks below to show you how to build a show car.
Show Car Build
Stanced Build
Race-Look Build
Retro-Look Build
Euro-Look Build
Show Car Build
Show cars turn heads, period. They often take a lot of time and money depending on how much work you can do yourself. Innovative and unique, they are always immaculately presented and come loaded with the latest trends in tuning. Generally they make great magazine cover cars, too…
Polish & Tuck It
Polished engine covers, big turbos and individual throttle bodies look great, but don’t let messy wiring spoil their appeal. Tucking wires out of sight has a big impact on the way your engine bay looks. If you want to go even further why not smooth the walls of your bay and spray it a complementing or contrasting color?
Air It Out
No show car build is complete these days without laying frame with an air-equipped stance. Not only does an air-ride setup mean you can drive to the show safe in the knowledge your splitter will survive, but you can also make an awesome feature of the air tank and accessories with an innovative boot build. Modern air-ride tech means you can even take your car to the track and the clever self- levelling systems will help reduce your lap times too.
Looking for more info on air ride? We’ve got you covered with our dedicated air suspension guide.
Audio
Nothing grabs attention at a show like an epic sound system, as people flock to see what’s blasting out the tunes. But audio doesn’t have to fill your boot with fiberglass, as the latest tech can produce big sound from even the most discreet systems. But as this is for show purposes, it’s still well worth making a feature of your build, whether that’s with trick LED lighting, slick touchscreen displays or a unique way to install your subwoofers. Innovation is key.
Be sure to check out our guide to car speakers. We’ve also got you covered with the best car subwoofers and amplifiers in 2023.
Wild Wheels
Any show car worth its salt will have a jaw-dropping set of hoops. Whereas with most things bigger is better, with wheels, it’s often width that’ll get you the most scene points, and fitting the widest rims possible, while still achieving ground skimming lows, is a true art form. Rare retro rims, or ground-breaking new designs win out too for show cars, as do unique custom split rims, using exotic metals and materials. Prepare to budget big for your wheels if you plan to go down this route!
Hit up our best aftermarket wheels in 2023 for some inspiration.
Wrap
Vinyl wraps have come on a long way and the quality on offer from the best in the business can be on par with a paint job. It’s also adds a layer of protection for your paint. Take advantage of the new vinyls being released including new textures, colors and finishes to make your ride unique. You don’t even have to do the whole car, as you can just do a few panels or trim parts and still completely the change the look!
Need inspiration? Here are the best car wraps we’ve featured.
Avoid
Being tempted to go over the top. There is always a worry of going too far. In the VW scene, for example, you still need to keep things classy and tasteful. Sometimes, the best cars, are the ones you need to walk around and look at for a while until the subtle mods pop out to you! At the same time, it’s your car, so build it to your taste first and foremost.
What car should I choose as a base project?
Anything goes, but being the first person to completely modify a newly released model always gets major respect, especially if it’s still under warranty. Either that or go the other way and go crazy on a coveted classic. The latter is often tricky, especially if you’re looking to carry out unique mods that haven’t already been done or seen before. You’ll also likely be looking at more custom parts. But, we always say a modified car is never finished.
Stance Car Show Build
Ride quality and handling don’t have to be compromised in your pursuit of impossible lowness and an awesome stance. You just need to choose your hardware wisely when it comes to stanced cars.
Get Low
Height adjustable suspension is vital. For the diehards, this generally means adjustable coilover suspension, often the kind of equipment designed for track use. Some stanced cars, however, run air bag suspension, or a coilover kit that contains a small airbag on the top of the front struts (right), but for purists, that’s cheating. Negative camber will help create those vital millimeters of clearance.
Flushness
Flushness refers to how well your rims sit in your arches. At the very least your wheel rim should be in line with the arch lip, known as being ‘Flush’. For some this is the ultimate goal and requires lots of suspension tweaking to achieve. For others, a wider wheel with even lower offset is desirable with the arch lip sitting a fraction of a millimeter off the wheel lip.
Do The Math
It is vital to get your wheel offsets right. The lower the offset, the more you push the wheels away from the car body. Negative offset, wide wheels are popular to give the impression the body has been dropped over the wheels. Skinny, stretched tires are important, as the sidewalls curve in at the top to give the maximum amount of arch clearance. Need some help with your numbers? Then visit our alloy wheels guide.
Custom Exhaust
If you’re running a stanced ride with low-pro tires then you’re in for a tough time. You need to pay attention to the underside of the car to minimize damage. It’s wise to consider some kind of sump protector and a custom exhaust for additional clearance. Some aftermarket exhausts will simply hang too low and you can end up getting beached on a speedbumps. Either opt for a decent off-the-shelf product or, ideally, a custom system bespoke for your car.
Looking for exhausts? We’ve got you covered with our best car exhausts in 2023.
Arch Work
There is a good chance you’re going to have to tweak your arches to prevent the tire rubbing away on the lip of the arch. ‘Rolling’ your arches involves physically pushing the arch lip up and back in on itself with a roller that mounts to the hub. You can also roll the arch lip outwards, which can also help gain clearance for some super wide rims, although this may involve a bodyshop if you’re going for a show finish. Expect to remove inner arch liners and spend a long time modifying all four arches and adjusting your suspension to get the right fit.
What project car should I start with?
Anything goes in choosing a car to ‘stance’, but if you want to make life easier for yourself, and keep costs down, then try to choose a popular car that has plenty of off-the-shelf solutions available, because having to go down the bespoke route really can be a nightmare both financially and emotionally.
Race-Look Show Car Build
Stripped and ready for action. Track cars contain minimal equipment and are built purely for speed usually, but of course, you can take elements of a certain race car for inspiration without creating a full-blown touring car. Of course, it doesn’t get much cooler than a road legal racer as a show car build in our mind…
Save Weight
Less weight means lower lap times, so get the performance and aesthetic benefits of a fully stripped interior and lightweight carbon-fiber body parts. Leave your carbon unpainted if you want others to see your investment, and if you can’t afford the black weave it costs very little to drill holes in your bumpers or get fiberglass alternatives. Plan it carefully but think extreme. Wing mirrors, DIY doorcards, headlight blanks, digital dashes and bucket seats are all good starting points to lose weight and get some circuit chic.
Upgraded Brakes
Track wheels usually have skinny spokes so the brakes are always on show. Big discs look great, especially when grooved or drilled, but a big multi-piston brake kit from the likes of Tarox, is the ultimate in stopping style. Adding brake vents in your front bumper is a cheap way to get that ‘function over form’ look. Also, try painting your calipers to pick out highlights on the bodywork or interior, or even add a fully custom livery to really make them a feature.
Be sure to check out our guide to the best brake pads and rotors in 2023. And if you’re looking for something meatier, we’ve got you covered in the best big brake kits in 2023.
Wing It
Track bodykits are often referred to as ‘Aero’ because they’re intended to give aerodynamic gains as well as just look good. Splitters under the front bumper and canards at the bumper corners are good add-ons for front-end downforce, while huge wings and under car diffusers work well at the rear.
Upgrade Your Tires
The mark of a true track car is serious rubber. There are plenty of road legal semi-slicks out there and the super-aggressive tread pattern will look great exposed by cut-away arches or a minimalist rear bumper. Think about adding tire lettering for a more extreme look.
Roll Cage
Roll cages save lives in the event of a rollover at the track, but they also give oodles of racecar style, so why not make a feature of them? You could paint or wrap it in a cool custom color so it really makes a statement. With cages, the more extreme, the better! Alternatively, if that’s a little too extreme, you can still rock the steel bar look with a cool K-Brace from BAF Motorsport. These not only look the part but also help stiffen up your car’s rear end to improve handling.
Don’t…
Strip your car out if you want comfort. It’s going to be noisy and your missus will probably hate it. All your mates will love it, mind!
Retro-Look Show Car Build
Some call it blasphemy, but we reckon it’s killer. Transforming a cult classic with the latest trends or some period-perfect mods is always a hit in our book and the rarity and skill involved often add extra respect too. Just be careful when choosing which car to mod and how far you go…
Widearches
Made popular by Akira Nakai-San of Rauh Welt Begriff, slapping an audacious widebody on a classic Porsche 911 is the epitome of retro cool for many. The wide-boy look generally works well with practically any retro- inspired build, especially the Germanic autobahn stormers, that hark back to the DTM classic racers of the ’80s.
Deep Dished Or Rare Wheels
You really want some split rims or obscure wheels to rock the retro style to the max. Ideally small diameter faces with wild lips in negative offsets are the perfect rims to fill those flared or extended arches. You’ll often find the wheel centres painted to match or contrast the wild colour scheme. Track down a set of genuine ex-racecar wheels for extra kudos.
Check out the coolest retro wheels of all time!
Race Livery
Race numbers and faux racing liveries are a great look for a retro ride if done correctly. But look for something either period correct or even older if possible. Avoid opting for a design that’s been overly used like Martini, Gulf, JPS, or Marlboro McLaren and find something that people have never seen before, the more obscure the better. This can be applied as individual graphics or a complete bespoke wrap. We had fun with our Audi A4 Avant project a few years back opting for a matte red wrap and initially a Hawaiian Tropic NASCAR theme, followed by the super obscure but equally awesome BASF livery.
Patina
Although perfect paintwork is often a show staple, don’t be afraid to let the car’s age-related wrinkles and battle scars shine through. A healthy dose of patina can really make a retro car feel authentic and add character. Just don’t mistake a dirty or poorly maintained car for patina, there’s a big difference! We’re not really down with spray-on patina, either. Just don’t do it…
Retro Resto
If you’re not a fan of letting your car age gracefully you could always take the retro restoration route and bust out a box-fresh classic that looks like you’ve stepped back in time to the day it rolled out of the showroom. But be warned, once you’ve gone down this route, anything less than a mirror shine will lose the impact.
Model Conservation
As much as we’re down with modifying classics, we’d stay away from rare, limited run machines. The more finite the resource, the less inclined we’d be to tear it apart. If you do feel the need to mess with rare cars though, then at least make the mods reversible.
Euro-Look Show Car Build
One of the original styles and arguably my favorite show car build look. Think bright, shaven and super minimal. Smooth engine bays, race interiors and wide split rims are key…
Be Bright
Pastel shades or citrus colors work best if you’re planning to go full-on with a complete respray. Two-tone can sometimes work, as can more neutral earthy shades.
Interior Upgrades
While basic-spec interiors can often be used, the best Euro-look cars have stripped, motorsport themed interiors. Two buckets, no carpet and, if you’re feeling brave, no dashboard either.
Less Is More
Less is more when it comes to body mods. Smooth, shave and flush any unsightly parts. Single wiper, aero filler caps, subtle air brushing, Frenched bumpers and bad-boy (böser Blick) bonnets all go down well. If you’re adding anything externally then DTM mirrors also work well (just a single unit if you’re being really cool), plus rear window louvres.
Declutter The Engine Bay
Engine swaps aren’t the norm here, rather chromed and polished original motors, usually with twin carb conversions housed in super smooth bays. Battery relocated to boot, heater often removed, brake servo ditched for remote set-up and rain tray shaved.
Cool Wheels
Wide and usually smaller diameter split rims are generally key here, although banded steels can also work. If you’ve gone with split rims then you’ll get extra brownie points for color coding the centers. Narrow, stretched tires with a higher profile are often used.
Just Don’t…
Get it wrong! There’s a very fine line between a well-executed Euro-look car and a rolling disaster. You’ve been warned…
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