i just can't figure out why?

[mnwildpunk]

I have been seeing it more and more these cars where they have the huge negative camber on all four wheels. So I got thinking why?

Drivability--- nope no help there if one tire were to leave the ground the other would force the car in that direction.

Tire wear--- no I don't think I need to explain this.

Visual appeal ---- No it is as appealing as a buck toothed bow legged knobby kneed pigeon toed super model.

So I am stumped is it a fad I don't get like huge rims (bigger looks good huge is dumb IMHO) fart can mufflers, giant wings on the back of fwd cars, excessive chrome and speakers that can wake the dead. Maybe I'm getting old lol

[Austin T]

It's a touchy subject, here probably not so much because only a handful of guys here build imports. It's mostly an aesthetic thing some guy like. The way I see it is it's their ride they do whatever they want to it, if I don't like it I get my own and make it my way. It's the easiest way to avoid pointless internet duels and make everyone happy.

[Rob Hall]

It's a different genre of modified car than you are used to, I guess...lots of different genres...some that may seem stranger to some than others..there are '50s style customs w/ chopped tops. Rat/Rust Rods. Lowriders. Donks. Pro Street. Hot Rods. etc... All different styles w/ different fans. The purpose of each style really isn't something that has a clear 'why'...

Edited February 26, 2014 by Rob Hall

[disabled modeler]

Dave...LOL... I am getting old too but never got those things ether myself. I can appreciate anyone doing something to their car/truck on their own though...been to too many car shows where someone entered a new car they just bought and did nothing with. Me Id rather put the huge costs of those wheels into the engine or cleaning up the body and or painting the car/truck to cherry it out make it beautiful...beauty is in the eye of the beholder though.

[mnwildpunk]

Hey I look at it this way #1. its all in good fun. I look back at things going on back in the 70's and 80's and shake my head at things we did like painting cars in the most obnoxious colors you could find, years of nothing but trailer queens and lets not forget the vans with a huge warrior murals back then. Also its my opinion you can't take that away and if there are folks that like that look on here great I want to hear there opinion on what they don't like to see. This is all for FUN I REPEAT FUN.

Edited February 26, 2014 by mnwildpunk

[slusher]

I don't get the Donks but these guys have some nice restored 80 Buicks and Oldsmobile cars sitting on them. It's their style now and they love it enough to put their money into it. I am getting old too.

[disabled modeler]

I once owned a mid 70s Dodge factory custom van...loved it had beautiful hand air brushed murals on both sides and a beautiful interior too. I have a old rough parts van model wanting to build it someday like mine was or close someday...the old build up is missing a few parts keeping me from it for now. I can appreciate the beautiful paint jobs done on many of the low riders though...simply stunning to look at.

[mnwildpunk]

Mark I didn't say I didn't like the vans with murals it fact a lot of them were killer. But try and do that today it just wouldn't look right on a express van

[disabled modeler]

Mark I didn't say I didn't like the vans with murals it fact a lot of them were killer. But try and do that today it just wouldn't look right on a express van

LOL... No it would not...LOL...

[Harry P.]

There's always going to be a "new" thing coming along. The more looks we've gone through, the harder it is to come up with something that hasn't been done yet and still looks good.

We're starting to hit the bottom of the barrel as far as automotive fads go...

[High octane]

My, my, my, how times have changed over the last 50 years. Seems like it wasn't too long ago, but I guess our age crept up on us.

[Quick GMC]

I think it's called Hellaflush. They destroy the camber and they see how close they can get the wheel lip to the fender of the car. 99.9% of them I have seen are atrocious, because they are done on a budget. I would dare to call them the rat rod of the 21st century.

When they are done well, they look nice, but you still have that horrible driveability/tire wear issue.

This is what I usually see, but with horrible paint and cheap wheels

https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/t1/s403x403/1743705_607595095980137_1100728101_n.jpg

this is what you usually don't see, because not many guys do it right

http://www.rallyxd.com/rallyxd/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/news-toyota-86-fr-s-scion-brz-stance-hella-flush-ce28-volk-rays-photochop.jpg

I found someone who decided to do this

http://i.imgur.com/TxnqdPS.jpg

And this is what you get in Japan

http://motormavens.com/emAlbum/albums/Antonio%20Alvendia/Random%20Dope/derek-kreindler.png

[o-man]

I'm big into Japanese imports. I own three early to mid 90's Hondas but this is just about stupid. Supposedly it got started with the VW crowd. I like negative camber for making a car handle better, but this stuff is ridiculous and dangerous. Putting a way too narrow tire on a way too wide rim is asking for trouble. Used to be 7-7.5 was about the widest rim you would find for a Civic. Now I'm seeing 9" wide rims with 0 offset. I will admit I have 8" wide rims on my Civic with just a touch too narrow of a tire, but I got the rims relatively cheap.

[Ace-Garageguy]

You kinda have two basic mindsets when it comes to building cars in ANY genre: "form follows function", and the other.

Oscar, your Honda looks like it's set up to handle very well. Nice.

Edited February 26, 2014 by Ace-Garageguy

[Jantrix]

This is all for FUN I REPEAT FUN.

Agreed. When it comes to aesthetics, it's all good. Make it a clown car if you want. But when radical suspension/tire/brake modifications are done that might adversely effect the performance of the vehicle, and possibly make it unsafe, I gotta draw a line.

Huge wheels with stock brakes - no way.

Huge wheels that keep the car from turning properly - no way.

Crazy camber on a stretched tire - no way. Due to the way and rate the tires will be wearing, no way it's safe.

Badly engineered & built "rat rods" - no way.

[DonW]

And this is what you get in Japan

http://motormavens.com/emAlbum/albums/Antonio%20Alvendia/Random%20Dope/derek-kreindler.png

Looks like someone gave it a parking ticket! Best thing on the vehicle!

[Lunajammer]

It's the auto equivalence of this...

[Modelmartin]

It's the auto equivalence of this...

AARRRRGH! MY EYES!!!

[JabMan]

@ Dave isle, Since you are from MPLS. I was driving down West Broadway (in north minneaplos) and saw this old beatup 70's or 80's van, the thing was a rust bucket falling apart. But it had the biggest newest tires with spinners that I have ever seen. I just laughed and shook my head.

[Quick GMC]

Agreed. When it comes to aesthetics, it's all good. Make it a clown car if you want. But when radical suspension/tire/brake modifications are done that might adversely effect the performance of the vehicle, and possibly make it unsafe, I gotta draw a line.

Huge wheels with stock brakes - no way.

Huge wheels that keep the car from turning properly - no way.

Crazy camber on a stretched tire - no way. Due to the way and rate the tires will be wearing, no way it's safe.

Badly engineered & built "rat rods" - no way.

I agree with everything you posted, but it just reminded me. I am looking at a set of Centerline wheels for my truck. I can go from 16" stock wheels to 20" Centerline forged aluminum and they are lighter than the 16's. I'm still going to upgrade to a big rotor/caliper adapter down the road, but it's nice to know my stock brakes will handle the new wheels for a while.

[mnwildpunk]

Jabman you see a lot of that over in west broadway area I used to deliver parts over there and I have seen some crazy stuff with all types of vehicles. I know on a lot of those big rim are worth more then the car. I saw a geo prizm with a set of rims that more then doubled the heights of the car

[JM485]

I saw one of these cars today with a faded gold paint job and a blue hood held down with a bit of cable. I honestly didn't laugh until I saw the exhaust was made out of an old fence pole and was bent up near the rear window! I'm all for originality, but at least have some common sense people!

[slusher]

When I go to Wal-Mart I always stereo systems in a sand down primer s10 or car not worth 500 dollars and the stereo system was over 2000 probably...

[southpier]

just go here: http://trakinscale.proboards.com/

problem solved.

[DonW]

I agree with everything you posted, but it just reminded me. I am looking at a set of Centerline wheels for my truck. I can go from 16" stock wheels to 20" Centerline forged aluminum and they are lighter than the 16's. I'm still going to upgrade to a big rotor/caliper adapter down the road, but it's nice to know my stock brakes will handle the new wheels for a while.

Hi Cameron

If you go that route, you'll end up good friends with your dentist! The bigger the rim diameter the harder the ride.

My theory is that we're being steered towards the big rims so we use less rubber, good for the environment - but note that F1 cars' wheels have pretty deep sidewalls, 'cos they're built for real world performance and handling.

But to each their own!