A Comprehensive Beginner’s Guide To Modify a Car

What do auto enthusiasts mean when they say they modified their car? How can you add some mods on your own prized vehicle?

To mod a car is to improve its overall appearance and performance based on the needs of the driver. When modifying your car, you might alter its suspension, turbocharge its engine, or add accessories like spoilers to improve its aerodynamics.

Dirty Racing Products carries an impressive variety of both OEM and aftermarket auto parts that are specially designed to improve a car’s performance. We’ve also compiled a comprehensive beginner’s guide to modifying a car to help you start customizing your own car to fit your unique needs.

Let’s learn more about some of the different types of modifying you can do and what parts you need to tune your car to your heart’s content.

Engine Tuning

One of the most popular types of tuning that auto enthusiasts undergo deals with the engine. Customizing the engine can give you higher power, increased torque, and improved throttle response, among other benefits.

How can you go about tuning your car’s engine? Get on our next tune list, by signing up here: https://www.dirtyracingproducts.com/pages/tune-sign-up-and-pay and look at some of the car engine tuning parts you might need to boost your power.

Plug & Play Engine Management

Want to improve your acceleration, horsepower, lower-end torque, or the overall smoothness of your ride? A Plug & Play Engine Management setup can help with all these things.

Simply put, an accessport is a small electronic piece that changes the factory-set controls on your car. It doesn’t interfere with the vehicle’s overall mechanics and is relatively easy to install between your car’s engine and its internal computer. Installing an accessport is a simple way to alter your car’s factory-set parameters; you get more power by changing the commands the internal computer gives the engine.

Turbocharger

A turbocharger is a unit you can add to your car to force more air into the engine. More air pressure in the engine means more power because it’s the air that helps the fuel combust.

Inside the turbocharger is a small turbine that spins with the help of heat from your exhaust gases. When the turbine spins, it compresses air and forces it back into the engine, where air and fuel create a combustion reaction that powers your car.

Suspension

Have you ever wanted to raise or lower the body of your car for improved performance and aesthetics? Consider modifying its suspension to improve response times and decrease roll and pitch.

Lowering Springs

If you plan to lower your car’s suspension, swap out the factory-issue springs for shorter, firmer ones. Specialized lowering springs help decrease rolling and pitching action when you apply the brakes, and they respond more quickly to your steering.

Air Suspension

Speaking of hydraulics, do you want to be able to raise or lower your suspension gradually as you drive? Air systems allow you reduce noise, vibration, and harshness as well as being more versatile on certain types of terrain.

When paired with camber bolts, adjustable lower control arms, and front roll center kits, an air suspension system will perform at its best. Add on professional installation and configuration, and you can’t lose.

Strut Mounts

If you’ve lowered your car’s suspension for performance purposes, consider replacing your factory strut mounts with sturdier aluminum mounts. This practice will dampen excess noise and reduce vibrations, which is crucially important if you’ve turbocharged your engine or done any other tuning.

Wheels

Many auto enthusiasts swap out their wheels without thinking of the act as tuning. However, the right wheels & tires can boost your performance while adding a sleek appearance!

When choosing new wheels for your car, think of the material they’re made of and how it can work for you. The three main options are:

• Steel: Forged or Cast. Heavier and prone to rust but sturdy enough to get you through the winter
• Aluminum: Lightweight and dynamic but requires extra care to stay looking new
• Alloy: Most common, lighter, more prone to cracking and bending, but it’s a good trade-off for the increased fuel mileage
• Magnesium: Super-stable and ultra-light but slightly more expensive than steel or aluminum

Exterior Mods

We’ve talked about the inner workings of your car and how to increase performance. Now let’s discuss the exterior of your car and how you can modify it to your liking.

Body Kits

Many body kits include elements like wings and spoilers that give your car a sporty appearance and improve its aerodynamics. Install adjustable spoilers on the roof and trunk lid of your car to maintain the correct weight distribution at a variety of speeds. Most spoilers and other add-ons are made from lightweight carbon fiber, enabling you to add as little weight as possible to the car.

Lights

Want to make a dazzling first impression? Auto lighting doesn’t just involve your basic headlights and taillights. You can also add neon lighting to your wheels and replace your factory turn signals with indicators in a variety of colors and styles.

There is a variety of attractive LED & HID models available for headlights and taillights. Just make sure you’re following safety precautions! Headlights that are too bright or too blue can cause temporary blindness in other drivers.

Now that you’ve got this comprehensive beginner’s guide in your pocket, you’ll be able to modify your car to your unique specifications. Decide whether you’re primarily concerned with performance or aesthetics and choose tuning parts accordingly, starting with the selection at Dirty Racing Products.