“….and I want to tell you that I think creative older men are sooo sexy! That’s why I feel comfortable enough to ask you a personal question. I was out at a club with two of my hot girl friends and I guess we all had too much to drink, well any way, as we were leaving, this kind of cute guy asks us if we all want to take off our cloths and go for a ride in his custom car. I watched as all three of them took off their cloths and hopped into the back seat. So here’s my question, what exactly is a “custom” car?”
Well Cindy, I must confess, I’m glad you asked THAT question. The word “custom” has become one of those descriptive words that are thrown around so much in this industry that its true meaning has been lost. Let me describe the levels of what “custom” can be, and what they really should be called.
The phrase “custom audio and video system” can be a bit misleading. Is adding a pair of speakers custom? What about a pre-fabricated sub box and amp? What if you add a head unit? Although all of these are excellent ways of improving your stock sound system, the word “custom” isn’t really an accurate description of what you have. I use this word often myself to describe something that really should be called “after market”, but the “true confession” is that “after market audio system” just doesn’t sound as sexy as “custom audio system”.
What about things like “custom” wheels, tail lights, or even racing seats and steering wheels? None of these “bolt on” or after-market accessories are really custom, they are, well…accessories, best used when the intention is to accent a custom install.
So, you ask, what exactly does Dan consider custom? Custom is when things are either custom fabricated from scratch, or factory parts are modified to the point where their function or appearance is altered. There are levels of a truly custom install as well; from a first impression of “that’s nice” all the way to “holy crap!”
So why am I making such a big deal about the use of the word “custom”? If you approach the building of your dream car by accessorizing or using bolt-on aftermarket components, in the end, you’ll just spend too much money on something that anyone can make, and anyone that has the money can have.
If your dream is to own a custom car, the first thing you need to do is empty your mind of any pre-conceived ideas. I find myself using this phrase a lot, but it’s the best advice I can give you. Don’t look at magazines, and don’t spend days looking at pictures of custom cars on the internet. Nothing kills the creative energy of an instillation artist more that a strict blueprint. There’s nothing wrong with having some idea of what direction you want to go, but try to be open and flexible, as long as you trust the artistic skills of the installer.
So what is the highest level of custom? It’s when instillation becomes art.
