Would You Modify Your Car Or Just Leave It Stock? (valve, engines)

[DezertGirl]

Purist here...if they're collectible, keep 'em stock, right down to the lug nuts! I've had several Mustangs and modified my 1973 Mach I with a blueprinted and balanced 351 Cleveland engine with all the goodies inside and out, put the battery in the trunk, ripped out the AC, added factory accessories that the car didn't have like the center console and front air dam and this one was as unreliable as the day is long! All in the interest of street racing and putting the boys on the side of the road. I later sold the car in the late 80s for $1200. If it was stock and original, it would have been worth a lot more.
Now I have a (DO NOT LAUGH! We also have a 1977 Corvette!) mint condition bone-stock 1981 VW Rabbit LS Diesel, equipped with original Chastain Shadow louvers (remember those??), which is, beleive it or not, collectible. My kid has a '78 and is dumping it to the ground, adding bigger wheels and baloney-skin tires, shaving the door handles and adding a turbo. Which car is worth more? Mine.
It's human nature to customize your possessions...cars and trucks are fine examples. Make it your own. Camry or not, if it makes you happy, go for it. We're not talking future collectibility here.

[Mr.Cat]

Originally Posted by LetterLady

Purist here...if they're collectible, keep 'em stock, right down to the lug nuts! I've had several Mustangs and modified my 1973 Mach I with a blueprinted and balanced 351 Cleveland engine with all the goodies inside and out, put the battery in the trunk, ripped out the AC, added factory accessories that the car didn't have like the center console and front air dam and this one was as unreliable as the day is long! All in the interest of street racing and putting the boys on the side of the road. I later sold the car in the late 80s for $1200. If it was stock and original, it would have been worth a lot more.
Now I have a (DO NOT LAUGH! We also have a 1977 Corvette!) mint condition bone-stock 1981 VW Rabbit LS Diesel, equipped with original Chastain Shadow louvers (remember those??), which is, beleive it or not, collectible. My kid has a '78 and is dumping it to the ground, adding bigger wheels and baloney-skin tires, shaving the door handles and adding a turbo. Which car is worth more? Mine.
It's human nature to customize your possessions...cars and trucks are fine examples. Make it your own. Camry or not, if it makes you happy, go for it. We're not talking future collectibility here.

Thank you so very much for your insight!

[Deez Nuttz]

Depending on what it was....to me a Camry is a throw away commuter car, and I don't even know if there's much of an aftermarket that supports them, so I most likely wouldn't do much in terms of mods to one.

Well maybe I'd throw on a Folgers fart can muffler and some stickers and maybe one of those Pep Boys aluminum wings and then claim I was the Billy Bad Ass in town giving you the loser fly by in a race and claiming a victory.

Now if we're talking about true muscle, I'd do engine mods, exhaust and intake mods.....and depending on how original the car was to start with I'd do suspension upgrades to make the old iron beast handle like it's on rails. Yes believe it or not it's quite possible.

[Mr.Cat]

Originally Posted by deez nuttz

depending on what it was....to me a camry is a throw away commuter car, and i don't even know if there's much of an aftermarket that supports them, so i most likely wouldn't do much in terms of mods to one.

well maybe i'd throw on a folgers fart can muffler and some stickers and maybe one of those pep boys aluminum wings and then claim i was the billy bad ass in town giving you the loser fly by in a race and claiming a victory. :d

now if we're talking about true muscle, i'd do engine mods, exhaust and intake mods.....and depending on how original the car was to start with i'd do suspension upgrades to make the old iron beast handle like it's on rails. Yes believe it or not it's quite possible.

lmfao!

[sonarrat]

Also, modding any car that has a mundane, PRNDL321 type automatic transmission, to make it look like a performance car makes me smh.

[M3 Mitch]

OK, one mod that would make sense in a twisted way: At least on the Camrys that use 3S-FE 4-cylinder engines - with some plumbing, you can make the 3S-GTE turbo engine, which is on essentially the same block, fit.

Google "Wraith Camry". Quite a sleeper really.

But you probably don't want to go there.

[doc1]

I'm into the simpler mods that allow for more air in and more air out. Also, since I drive V8s, I like to add an aftermarket exhaust for the better sound.

[DezertGirl]

Originally Posted by doc1

I'm into the simpler mods that allow for more air in and more air out. Also, since I drive V8s, I like to add an aftermarket exhaust for the better sound.

Nothing beats a KnN filter and cold air intake! Customize the exhaust if possible for better gas mileage and a tad bit more power...

[Steve-o]

Ive modified many of my cars, some very extensively. The question you have to ask yourself is: is it worth modifying? Would I modify a Camry? No. But, thats YOUR prerogative, you do what YOU want to do.

Most cars I would modify in several forms or another. I prefer all-go-no-show type mods, so I go for engine/suspension upgrades more than anything. Some cars are prime for modification (ie Civics, SRT-4, etc). Others are NOT prime for modding (ie Integra Type-R, etc) because theyre already near-perfect from factory.

So my final answer? Yes, I would modify a car ONLY if it required so.

[Mr.Cat]

Originally Posted by M3 Mitch

OK, one mod that would make sense in a twisted way: At least on the Camrys that use 3S-FE 4-cylinder engines - with some plumbing, you can make the 3S-GTE turbo engine, which is on essentially the same block, fit.

Google "Wraith Camry". Quite a sleeper really.

But you probably don't want to go there.

I work for Lexus/Toyota so I can pull some strings but isn't that an old engine? Besides I own an 08 Camry so I don't think it would work out.