When Thais Used To Customize Their Cars

[The_Munchmaster]

I remember back in the late 80's and 90's how Thais used to customize their cars by adding chrome to the wheel arches and also chrome strips to the bottoms of the doors.

 

Although accessorizing cars can often be quite tacky (apologies to any BM's with tackily accessorized vehicles) these were usually done quite tastefully and actually improved the look of the car.

 

A Thai friend of mine had a 3 series BMW with these chrome bits and it looked really good.

 

However I haven't seen this for a very long time.

 

Anyone got any pics?

[Horneytorney]

have seen a couple of Maybachs; some customized high end car of mercedes benz, aren't they?

on the other end of the foodchain, some old bangers look as well pretty customized

[Flashermac]

I always liked a Volkswagen beetle that had a Mercedes front end stuck on it. Haven't seen it in years though.

 

Some of the things Thais do to cars should earn them a firing squad. They will take a perfectly good sports car and bugger it up to what they think a sports car should be like - switching to the wrong size tires, buggering up the suspension, changing the camber so it effs up the tyres ... you name it. Thais will also swap engines instead of repairing an old one. I remember a beautiful Rolls Royce that used to cruise around town. A hi-so friend (son of a general and life peer) told me a secret. He said the Chinese businessman who owned it had put a Toyota engine in itt! The car couldn't do more than about 35 mph ... but it looked impressive on the city streets.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[The_Munchmaster]

So Flash, with all your time in LOS you don't remember when cars were tastefully accessorized with those chrome bits?

 

I remember a few old Jags with the same treatment, gorgeous.

 

I inquired as to the cost of one at one of those second hand car lots across the road from what was at the time billed as the worlds biggest restaurant, the staff served on roller skates (Tam Nak Thai seems to ring a bell??), now long gone I believe, and was shocked at how much they wanted!

[baa99]

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzTLV-cwjWI

 

[gobbledonk]

I can only assume they were doing a better job than the vast majority of Asian kids manage with cars. Dont even get me started on the amulets and mini-spirit houses adorning many taxis ....

[Flashermac]

I honestly don't remember any chrome customising. I've seen a few nice paint jobs (flames usually), but that is about all.

 

Now some of the tuk-tuks have really been fancied up.

 

 

 

[ThaiHome]

Customizing cars is huge business in the suburbs and the eastern seaboard. There are many shops specializing in chrome wheels and various accessories. There are entire chrome kits you can buy for just about any make. There are also shops specializing in the boom box sound systems, exhaust system modifications and computer chipping.

 

 

The whole thing seems to be geared towards some sort of LA low rider/drifting fusion effect.

 

 

The chrome bits on more expensive cars is still going on. The latest fad I have seen is Fortuner Exclusive model that Toyota sells that has various chrome accessories such as the gas filler cover being chrome among others.

 

 

You don’t actually see much of this in the CBD and Sukhumit areas, but outside that it is all over the place.

TH