Day 2?

[mrmike]

At Classic Plastic Model Club, we are having a "Day 2" class at our Exhibition on October 4, 2020.  But, what is a Day 2 car?  We define it as a car that has simple, primarily bolt-on modifications such as new wheels, air cleaner, mufflers, chrome exhaust tips and steering wheel, badges removed, 8-track installed, seat covers, etc.  But, there a group of people who say that they can change motors and transmissions, add custom paint and rear ends in a weekend.  If they think they can do it and have a driveable car on Monday, more power to them!  I have seen some models that some say are Day 2, but they have tubbed rear, pro-street stances, huge hoods and scoops and huge induction systems.  Theses types of mods are not what we would classify as Day 2.   I can foresee some models being moved from the Day 2 class to a more appropriate class because they just don't fit the rules.  My question to you folks is, do you agree or disagree with our definition?     

[Xingu]

Day 2 is open to interpretation. IMO you guys will need to be very specific about what your definition is. For what it's worth my definition would be factory options, paint color, wheel combos, etc... that were not necessarily available for that particular model, but the factory offered them on other vehicles manufactured at the same time. So engine swaps would be included in my definition as long as the factory offered it in a different model.  

[Snake45]

My list of common "Day 2" mods, as observed back in the day, would include: 

Aftermarket wheels/tires, larger tires on rear

Raised rear suspension by air shocks or extended spring shackes or both

Traction bars

Headers

Custom exhaust--glass packs, "Cherry Bombs," maybe with side exit, up to Corvette side pipes; chrome exhaust tips

Aftermarket shifter (usually Hurst)

Aftermarket steering wheel (wood and metalflake rims were popular)

Tachometer on steering column or dashboard, 3-gauge bolt-on instrument panel under dash 

Low restriction or removed air cleaner

Aftermarket carb and/or intake manifold (including 2x4 and 3x2 conversions)

Lightweight flex fan

Ignition upgrades including plug wires

Bolt-on or bond-on hood scoops/bulges; full fiberglass hood, sometimes left black

Bolt-on rear window louvers

Hood pins

Spoilers and wings 

Paint stripes, pinstripes, other graphics such as lace

Blacked out grille, other blacked out trim such as rear panels or rocker panels

Speed equipment decals on rear side windows (and elsewhere)

Camshaft swap (wouldn't show on a model car, of course)

Aftermarket stereo/sound system and speakers on package trays and/or door panels

Fog or driving lights in grille or on/under front bumper

 

Not every "Day 2" car had ALL this stuff, of course. Any that did would look ridiculous (or getting close). But several of these mods on a car weren't uncommon at all. And all mods wouldn't be accomplished by "Day 2," or even Week 2 or Month 2. But I'd say that AT LEAST half the 1 to 2 year old musclecars I ever saw had at least a few of these. (Tires/wheels and raised rear suspension were probably the most common.) 

Also, some popular models had readily available bolt-on mods. For example, there were several bolt-on taillight replacement units for '64-'66 Mustangs. There was a lot of bolt-on stuff for VW Beetles, too. 

Here's a '66 Mustang I shot last year at a local car show that had a very authentic late '60s/early '70s Day 2 vibe.  He's got more stuff on it than I personally would, but I can assure you such beasts roamed the streets in those days (and apparently this one still does). (The Comet in the background has a pretty good vibe going, too.) 

 

[espo]

I would have to agree with Snake45 on the list of Day 2 mods. I would take you far longer to do all of that on the second day of ownership, but I remember those who tried. I bought a new '66 Impala SS and stopped at Scotty's Muffler off of E Street in San Bernardino before I even got home, 30 inchers no more resonators and tips. Scotty's even gave the exhaust a coat of black spray paint back then when they did an exhaust system. To this day I can't seem to keep my hands off of any new car we get.   

[Mark]

Day 2 generally describes mild changes made to a new, or nearly new, car shortly after someone takes ownership.  How many people bought a new car and swapped engines right away?

[El Roberto]

Depends on who's doing the mods.   A guy in his garage is limited to what he could accomplish, while a complete custom shop could do a lot in two days. 

[Snake45]

8 minutes ago, Mark said:

Day 2 generally describes mild changes made to a new, or nearly new, car shortly after someone takes ownership.  How many people bought a new car and swapped engines right away?

Good concise description. 

[Muncie]

I agree with Snake and Espo.  Day 2 is a more recent term for what happened in the muscle car era of the late 1960's and early 1970's.  These were muscle cars bought by high school and guys in their early 20's with income from working at the local parts store, gas station or grocery store.  After buying a new car,  Snake's list would challenge the best of their budgets and skills. 

The Road Runner was introduced with steel wheels, but had the best tires available from the factory.  Mopar knew those wheels wouldn't last past day 2.

 

[Fat Brian]

My understanding of Day 2 has always been mods made while the car was relatively new, primarily of a bolt on nature. I don't think an engine or transmission swap or a massive tub job qualifies. It's not that you can't do some of those things quickly but you wouldn't normally do it to a new car. That's more of a you just inherited grandma's grocery getter and you and a couple buddies drop in a v8 in a weekend over a few cases of brew kind of situation.

[Rodent]

Have spoken of the "1 of zero" 429 CJ Torino wagon that our friends in Santa Cruz had on this board before. It didn't even get home from the dealership before it got an exhaust system and wheels. Not sure what the wheels were, but they had wider spokes like 200S, but black or very dark grey.

[Freeman Cars]

I own a real day 2 car. its a 68 camaro rs/ss with 6900 oirginal

miles. it was bought in late 1967 and parked in early 1969. the day 2 mods consist of mag wheels, traction bars, mallory dual point distributor and removal

of the air pump. everything else is as it came from the factory. hope this helps.

[ChrisBcritter]

Cool! How about a photo, Sam? What's the story behind it being parked?

Edited March 25, 2020 by ChrisBcritter

[wrenchr]

I've bought a few cars with "2nd Day" mods and they were usually removed 2day......... Like once I got home with it. Once my brother bought an older dodge dakota and as soon as we got it to my house I whipped out the sawzaw  and removed all the fog lights and horrible bolt on BLAH_BLAH_BLAH_BLAH and then the heat gun to remove all the stickers.   

[Mike 1017]

[High octane]

I hafta agree with Mark and Fat Brian as I've had as far back as '64 and still have a day 2 car, and engine, transmission swaps, tubing, complete chassis mods, etc. are not part of Day 2 in my book. Back-in-the-day we were lucky to have our own car, parked in the street, and able to put gas in it as well.

[Freeman Cars]

18 hours ago, ChrisBcritter said:

Cool! How about a photo, Sam? What's the story behind it being parked?

You can see a pic on the freemanautomotivedesign facebook page.  more info to come later.