{"id":56567,"date":"2022-06-21T17:40:44","date_gmt":"2022-06-21T21:40:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/motor-junkie.com\/?p=56567"},"modified":"2022-07-20T00:50:23","modified_gmt":"2022-07-20T04:50:23","slug":"true-stories-of-car-modifications-gone-horribly-wrong","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dev.motor-junkie.com\/true-stories-of-car-modifications-gone-horribly-wrong\/56567\/","title":{"rendered":"True Stories Of Car Modifications Gone Horribly Wrong"},"content":{"rendered":"

The world of car modifications is a wide-reaching and lucrative one, but it can be crazy. On one hand, drivers implement fantastic creations, expensive body kits, shiny new rims, and engine modifications that enhance the original design and improve performance. On the other hand, we have failed attempts<\/a>, mismatched components, ugly details, and outdated parts. The fine line that separates successful modifications from complete failures is very thin.<\/p>\n

But once it is crossed, there is no turning back. Dedicated drivers remember the shiny and amazing creations on display at the SEMA show, the pinnacle of car modifications culture. However, for each magnificent car that shines bright at the show, there are countless others that are simply abominations of the auto world. So today, we covered those failed cars<\/a> (and their owners) with 50 car modifications that have gone horrifically wrong. Have a laugh.<\/p>\n

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Photo Credit: Reddit<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

50. Body Snatchers<\/h2>\n

In order to modify one car, amateur car builders often decide to install some body parts from another model. It rarely works in real life since two vehicles do not have the same design. However, this car owner went a step too far and decided to mix two completely different cars to create a monster with front and rear parts of a Tahoe\/Suburban and middle parts of a mid-2000s Civic sedan (via TV Bee<\/a>). The finished product is functional, but terrible to see in person and probably very frightening to drive.<\/p>\n

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Photo Credit: Reddit<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

49. Multipla<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The Fiat Multipla is widely considered to be one of the worst-looking cars ever made. It is pretty surprising how Italians, often regarded as masters of automotive styling in the past, could make such an ugly car. The Multipla is very practical and spacious but painful to watch. So it is only logical that any modification will not improve the looks but make it even worse. Here is the undeniable proof of that theory with this downright hideous automobile (via TV Bee<\/a>).<\/p>\n

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Photo Credit: Reddit<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

48. House On Wheels<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The concept of the house on wheels<\/a> is quite popular, and people are buying large RVs so they can travel and still have much of the comfort of their homes. However, what about a driver who decided to actually build a moving house using a truck bed as a basis? It sounds crazy, but it is true. Here is the actual tiny house made out of bricks but still somewhat mobile (via TV Bee<\/a>). We’re afraid that this poor pickup is useless now since the weight of the bricks makes it not roadworthy from a driving standpoint.<\/p>\n

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Photo Credit: Pinterest<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

47. Donk<\/h2>\n

If you don’t know what a Donk is<\/a> in the automotive world, you may have been living under a rock for the past 10 or more years. It is an automotive customization style marked by the use of enormous wheels and often crazy paint jobs. This car obviously applies, but the teal paint job makes it a ridiculous example (via TV Bee<\/a>). The body is mostly unchanged, but oversized wheels make it look comical and significantly reduce the usability in everyday conditions.<\/p>\n

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Photo Credit: Reddit<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

46. Mobile Basketball Court<\/strong><\/h2>\n

You may have noticed those Japanese custom cars with exhaust pipes sticking from the back end. However, this shall we say ‘clever’ Florida car owner managed to make fun of such customization style, turning his Honda into a mobile basketball court (via TV Bee<\/a>). This modification isn’t very practical for everyday driving, but it is excellent if you want to practice your basketball shot anytime while on the go.<\/p>\n

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Photo Credit: Pinterest<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

45. Extreme Off-Roading<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The off-roading community is very strong, and if you want to get involved with it to any degree of success, drivers simply must modify their SUV and\/or truck to do so. Whole industries support off-road driving, but sometimes enthusiastic owners take it too far by installing practically every item from the catalog. When this happens, the vehicle looks ridiculous and is actually not that usable on the off-road trail (via TV Bee<\/a>).<\/p>\n

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Photo Credit: Reddit<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

44. Creepy Hand Stick Shift<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Interior modifications can still rank as some of the strangest ever seen in the car world. Changing the touch points in your interior<\/a>, like the steering wheel or shift lever, will change the driving feel of the vehicle overall. That was seemingly the exact point of the driver who swapped his shift lever for a plastic hand that looks like a prop from a horror movie. Just imagine “shaking hands” with this abomination every time you want to shift gears (via TV Bee<\/a>). On second thought, maybe don’t.<\/p>\n

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Photo Credit: Reddit<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

43. Coca-Cola Tires?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Sometimes car modifications are so absurd that they simply just don’t make much – or any- sense at all. Take for instance this car owner who replaced his tire with numerous plastic Coca-Cola bottles (via TV Bee<\/a>). They must have thought the bottles were soft so could therefore cushion the weight of the car. But even though if you could (maybe) drive on them, just imagine what would happen if you wanted to brake hard at all. Please, don’t try this home and stick to your normal tires for actual city or rural driving.<\/p>\n

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Photo Credit: Reddit<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

42. Tractor Wheels<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Tractors are immensely usable on the farm due to, among other things, their huge wheels and aggressive tires that are designed to have a grip on the field. But what is going to happen when you put giant tractor wheels on a small, economy car like a Volkswagen Golf (via TV Bee<\/a>)? Will it have the same traction, or will it look ridiculous? The answer is looked incredibly stupid as the car was unusable, and this ruined the car’s suspension.<\/p>\n

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Photo Credit: Flickr<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

41. Two-Face<\/strong><\/h2>\n

This one is a bit divisive in the car world. Depending on who you ask, one of the coolest or the stupidest mods is combining two front ends into one vehicle. It’s like the car is looking at itself in the mirror (via TV Bee<\/a>). It is relatively easy from a mechanical standpoint, but it raises a whole lot of questions. Do you have two engines, which end is the front and which is the rear, where is the steering wheel, and so on? Just imagine the surprise of the employees at the DMV when you go to get your registration – or people are driving behind you on the highway, for that matter.<\/p>\n

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Photo Credit: Reddit<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

40. Repurposing Ordinary Items<\/strong><\/h2>\n

We’ve all been in a situation where it’s a real bummer when you can’t find the right parts for your car. This is especially true if it’s something crucial like a headlight or taillight. Well, these “clever owners” decided to repurpose everyday items like empty bottles and make headlight covers out of them (via TV Bee<\/a>). It was not pretty, but it is functional, and they must have been thinking that that was all that mattered.<\/p>\n

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Photo Credit: Pinterest<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

39. Too Many Stickers<\/strong><\/h2>\n

It doesn’t actually do anything, of course, but still, some car modifiers like to put all kinds of stickers on their cars. Some are witty, clever, or cool, but most are too much and simply ruin the vehicle’s appearance (via TV Bee<\/a>). Yes, we’re aware that there is a “sticker bomb” movement in some cities, but it is getting a bit old. Take this awful example for instance, and keep the plethora of stickers off of your automobile.<\/p>\n

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Photo Credit: Reddit<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

38. Hacking Your Taillights<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Most modern cars<\/a> have LED tail lights which are controlled by a small computer. Not only are LEDs brighter, but they can be programmed to show different shapes and patterns and can be modified (via TV Bee<\/a>). That last part is very interesting to some owners who invest time and effort in creating a cool mod for their ride. However, we’re not sure if this trend, hack, or whatever it is, is truly worth it. You can judge for yourself.<\/p>\n

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Photo Credit: Pinterest<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

37. PT Cruiser Stretch Limo<\/strong><\/h2>\n

This is a recipe for disaster. The result is horrifying and ridiculous whenever somebody wants to stretch a regular car. The reason is simple. Just because you can take your daily driver like this PT Cruiser and turn it into a stretch limo doesn’t mean you should (via TV Bee<\/a>). Besides it looking extremely strange, the structural rigidity of the extended body will be compromised. So despite all the time and effort, the car will never ride well or be dependable even though it costs way too much to turn a PT Cruiser into a limousine.<\/p>\n

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Photo Credit: Reddit<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

36. Get Rid Of This Vin Diesel Sticker<\/strong><\/h2>\n

We have to admit this mod is kind of funny. Remember the iconic “Fast and The Furious”<\/a> scene when Vin Diesel is getting ready to race and gives the opponent that tough look? Well, this vehicle owner recreated it with a very clever – and big – sticker on their side window. Just imagine how many people you could surprise every day with this cheap but effective mod. Hopefully, the car is still safe to drive, however.<\/p>\n

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Photo Credit: Reddit<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

35. Excessive Chrome Detailing<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Chrome trim is always considered an upscale feature on cars<\/a>. Back in the 1960s and ’70s, the more chrome you had, the better the car looked. Even today, subtle chrome details are part of the well-designed automobile. However, for some people, subtle will not work. Those people will put every available shiny detail on their car, creating a rolling joke and even a possible traffic hazard due to the sun reflecting from its surface (via TV Bee<\/a>).<\/p>\n

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Photo Credit: Reddit<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

34. Airbag Stones<\/strong><\/h2>\n

It is of the utmost importance that you do not mess with your steering wheel. Why? Because if you change anything on it, the airbag may not deploy in case of an accident and could leave you unprotected. Some people don’t know that, so when we saw the “airbag stones,” we were shocked. Just imagine what would happen if the airbag deployed, shooting those stones in the driver’s face (via TV Bee<\/a>). It might look cute, but it’s extremely dangerous and very clearly should not be attempted.<\/p>\n

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Photo Credit: Reddit<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

33. Chandelier Headlights On A Cadillac<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Classic Cadillacs are considered one of the coolest-looking classic American cars<\/a>. Their dominant stance, chrome details, fins, and elegant bodies all lend to their classic appearance and driving feel. But one Caddy owner decided to go a step further and emphasize its classic style with pair of chandeliers mounted on the fenders (via TV Bee<\/a>). It looks strangely appropriate for some odd reason, but we bet driving is very problematic.<\/p>\n

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Photo Credit: Flickr<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

32. Massive Seating Upgrade<\/strong><\/h2>\n

We all know that a comfortable interior is very important if you use your car daily. Nobody wants to spend hours in traffic sitting in uncomfortable seats. So this crafty owner decided to up his seating game with a full-size couch instead of standard chairs in his truck (via TV Bee<\/a>). We bet it is much more comfortable, but we’re not sure where the driver plugs in his seatbelt.<\/p>\n

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Photo Credit: Reddit<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

31. Brick Road<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Remember the old 1980s Volvos affectionately called Swedish Bricks? Well, one owner decided to pay homage to that with bodywork that resembles a brick road (via TV Bee<\/a>). We are unsure if it is real bricks or just cleverly designed vinyl wrap, but the idea is excellent nonetheless. We would be eager to see what the local DMV thinks about this odd but unique mod.<\/p>\n

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Photo Credit: Pinterest<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

30. Teddy Bear Wheels<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Wheels are probably the first mod the majority of drivers add when they get into car customization. However, as we saw with the Donk cars, they can also ruin the appearance if not carefully chosen. Even then, the design of the wheels is crucial. Take these teddy bear hubcaps, for example (via TV Bee<\/a>). If you put the set of teddy bears in your car, there’s a very high likelihood that no one will take you seriously. Just sayin’.<\/p>\n

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Photo Credit: Reddit<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

29. Cardboard Body Effects<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Cardboard is suitable for many things; making boxes is probably the first to pop into your mind. However, this driver apparently believes that they could make a body kit for their vehicle out of it (via TV Bee<\/a>). You can, but it is not going to work very well. Yes, it is easy to form and shape body extensions, splitters, spoilers, and rocker panels out of it, but once you go past 35 mph, all those things will fly off the car. And it looks ridiculous. So just don’t.<\/p>\n

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Photo Credit: Pinterest<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

28. Toy Cars<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Remember the nasty homemade stretch limo we mentioned earlier? Well, there is an opposite mod called “toy cars<\/a>.” This was when backyard mechanics shortened the wheelbase to absurd levels, making an actual car look like a toy (via TV Bee<\/a>). Of course, during the process, the complete driving dynamics of the vehicle are ruined, and it becomes almost unsafe to drive. Yes, you may believe it’s kind of cute, but it’s ruined and frankly dangerous.<\/p>\n

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Photo Credit: Reddit<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

27. Creepy Car Face<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Understandably, some people think of the design of their cars<\/a> as “faces.” The headlights resemble the eyes, and the grille can resemble the mouth. But what happens when somebody decides to make that “face” angry or scary like this one (via TV Bee<\/a>)? A failure is what happens. Here is a driver who wanted his Miata to look menacing and achieved the opposite result instead.<\/p>\n

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Photo Credit: Flickr<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

26. Lambo Doors<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The Lambo doors craze erupted on the custom car scene in the early 2000s but (hopefully) is gone now. Interestingly, the vertical-opening doors were so played out that even real Lamborghinis didn’t have them. However, thousands of backyard mechanics installed poorly designed kits on ordinary cars, becoming the laughingstock of the car community (via TV Bee<\/a>). Real car owners just don’t need these.<\/p>\n

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Photo Credit: Aliexpress<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

25. Chinese Turbos<\/strong><\/h2>\n

One of the main ways of achieving big power on your car are the turbo kits available for most engines. However, the proper way of doing it requires money and knowledge. Or you can just get yourself a cheap kit from Aliexpress and ruin your engine in no time (via TV Bee<\/a>). In the best-case scenario, your car will not run. In the worst-case scenario, you will have a massive engine bay fire. Overall, this is a scenario to simply avoid if you are looking to add some power and speed to your vehicle because there are just much better ways to do so.<\/p>\n

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Photo Credit: Reddit<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

24. Spinners<\/strong><\/h2>\n

One of the most ridiculous car<\/a> mods are spinner rims and\/or hub caps. Fortunately, they were only in fashion for a few years and are mostly forgotten now. However, a few stubborn owners somehow decided to stick with them indefinitely and even install cheap, plastic spinner hub caps, which look much more terrible like this example here (via TV Bee<\/a>). Take a queue from this driver’s mistake and avoid a similar one of your own.<\/p>\n

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Photo Credit: Reddit<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

23. Stick-On Vents<\/strong><\/h2>\n

This may just be one of the most ridiculous things drivers can put on their cars. These stick-on vents don’t do anything. They just look like you need vents because your big engine is so huge that it needs to extract heat. Of course, novice car tuners like to put them everywhere, even on areas that don’t have anything to do with cooling, like doors or trunks, and this is a disaster, to say the least (via TV Bee<\/a>).<\/p>\n

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Photo Credit: Piston Heads<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

22. Enormous Spoiler Mistake<\/strong><\/h2>\n

A big rear spoiler like this will not make you drive any faster (via TV Bee<\/a>). It will make you more stable when you go fast. But what is the purpose of the enormous wing on the back of your daily driver? None, besides most likely being laughed at daily. Some people think that mounting an airplane wing on the trunk will convince other motorists that their car is fast, but those who are in the know will immediately recognize a beginner who is trying too hard.<\/p>\n

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Photo Credit: Reddit<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

21. Insane Sound System<\/strong><\/h2>\n

It is perfectly fine if you like to listen to loud music in your car. We all have our favorite driving songs and some of us love to “perform” while behind the wheel. But you might have a problem if you spend tens of thousands of dollars on an insane audio system and multiple speakers on and in your car. In this unique case, it appears that the sound system actually overtook most of the car (via TV Bee<\/a>). Nobody thinks you’re cool if you wake up people in a different county or let loose bass vibrations that break the glass on nearby houses.<\/p>\n

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Photo Credit: Auto Evolution<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

20. Half-Track Nissan Altima<\/strong><\/h2>\n

There’s no denying that half-tracks are immensely usable for work vehicles, giving them tank-like abilities off the road. But combining their running gear with a car or truck body like this Nissan Altima is never a good idea (via TV Bee<\/a>). Not only does it look strange, but it is never as functional or dependable. Nevertheless, numerous owners did exactly that and created monsters that roam rural areas in the process.<\/p>\n

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Photo Credit: Reddit<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

19. Continental Kit For A Mustang<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Back in the ’50s, Continental Kits were very popular. The extended rear bumper with exposed spare wheel housing complemented a car’s overall styling and added to the elegance of those land yachts. But fast-forward 70 years and the car industry has changed a lot. But that didn’t stop some people from attaching such details to their modern vehicles like this Ford Mustang<\/a> and making a big mistake in the process (via TV Bee<\/a>).<\/p>\n

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Photo Credit: Pinterest<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

18. Jet Limo<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Engineers have tried to combine a car and a plane for decades. But despite numerous attempts, there was no significant progress until some owner decided to mount a set of wheels and chop off wings from a private jet, creating a Jet Limo (via TV Bee<\/a>). Yes, this plane cannot fly, but it can go down the road. That is if you forget about visibility, practicality, turning circle, and problems at the DMV.<\/p>\n

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Photo Credit: Reddit<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

17. Fierro Ferrari<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Remember the Pontiac Fierro? It was GM’s attempt to enter the low-priced sports car<\/a> with the two-seat, rear-engine coupe. Although it was advanced for the times, the Fierro wasn’t precisely the sales success GM hoped it would be. However, it proved to be very popular with customizers who used its platform to put replica bodies of Ferraris or Lamborghinis (via TV Bee<\/a>). Needless to say, every one of those creations looked ridiculous as this image attests.<\/p>\n

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Photo Credit: Pinterest<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

16. Bosozoku Cars<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The Bosozoku car culture has deep roots in the Japanese car community. This style became known all over the world for its extreme modifications, enormous spoilers, wide arches, low stances, and exhaust pipes sticking out of the body. As you can expect, those cars are rarely fast or capable on the road, simply because they are over-modified. This vehicle is a perfect example of that (via TV Bee<\/a>). But they can be fascinating to some and terrifying to see on the roadway.<\/p>\n

Also Read:<\/strong><\/p>\n