Car tuning is modification of the performance or appearance of a vehicle.
For actual "tuning" in the sense of automobiles or vehicles, see engine
tuning. Most vehicles leave the factory set up for an average driver's
expectations and conditions. Tuning, on the other hand, has become a way to
personalize the characteristics of a vehicle to the owner's preference. Cars
may be altered to provide better fuel economy, produce more power, or to
provide better handling. Car tuning is related to auto racing,
although most performance cars never compete. Tuned cars are built for the
pleasure of owning and driving. Exterior modifications include changing the
aerodynamic characteristics of the vehicle via side skirts, front and rear
bumpers, spoilers, splitters, air vents and light weight wheels.
Origin Cars have always been subject to
after-market modification. The golden age of car tuning was the decades
between World War II and the beginning of air pollution restrictions. Both
moderate and radical modification have been commemorated in the popular songs
Hot Rod Race and Hot Rod Lincoln. The names of Abarth and Cooper appear on
models styled after the cars they modified. Cosworth went, with support
from Ford, from modifying English Ford Flathead engines for Lotus Sevens to
dominating Formula One. In the 1970s and 80s, many Japanese
performance cars were never exported outside the Japanese domestic market. In
the late 1980s and early 1990s, grey imports of Japanese performance cars,
such as the Nissan Skyline, began to be privately imported into Western Europe
and North America. In the United States, this was in direct contrast to the
domestic car production around the same time, where there was a very small
performance aftermarket for domestic compact and economy cars; the focus was
instead on sporty cars such as the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Corvette, or on
classic muscle cars. Because of their light weight and the
increasing availability of low-cost tuning equipment, economy and compact
cars exhibit high performance at a low cost in comparison to dedicated sports
cars. As professional sporting and racing with such vehicles increased, so
did recreational use of these vehicles. Drivers with little or no automotive,
mechanical, or racing experience would modify their vehicles to emulate the
more impressive versions of racing vehicles, with mixed results.
Areas of modification The essence of modification of a tuner
car is an attempt to extract the greatest possible performance—or the
appearance of high performance—from the base motor vehicle through the addition,
alteration or outright replacement of parts. Although this largely involves
modifying the engine and management systems of the vehicle to increase the
power output, additional changes are often required to allow the vehicle to
handle this power, including stiffened suspension, widened tires, better
brakes, improved steering and transmission modifications such as the
installation of a short shifter. Although largely invisible from outside
the vehicle, certain modifications such as low profile tires, altered
suspension, and the addition of spoilers can change the overall appearance of the
car, as well as adding downforce to increase traction.
= Audio = A stock audio system is one specified by
the manufacturer when the vehicle was built in the factory. A custom audio
installation can involve anything from the upgrade of the radio to a full-blown
customization based around the audio equipment. Events are held where
entrants compete for the loudest, highest quality reception or most
innovative sound systems. = Interior =
All cars competing in each class must adhere to a strict set of regulations.
As in some well known racing events, like NASCAR and NHRA, sanctioned events
often require a minimum vehicle weight. In such cases the interior is stripped,
and the required weight is achieved by adding ballast that allows precise
control over weight distribution. Along with weight requirements, safety
requirements are present . Requirements differ for different classes. Roll
cages, fire extinguishers, reinforced bucket seats, seat harnesses, and the
like are some of the required safety modifications. Roll cages may be
difficult to install when the original equipment interior is present. Some
tuners will have "gutted" interiors. Some tuners omit features that many
ordinary drivers would find desirable or necessary, such as audio systems, air
conditioning and soundproofing. = Engine tuning =
Engine tuning is the process of modifying the operating characteristics
of an engine. In a typical engine set-up, there are various mechanical and
electronic elements such as the intake manifold, spark plugs, Mass air flow/
Volume air flow, etc. Modern engines employ the use of an ECM to provide the
best balance between performance and emissions. Via the OBD communications
protocol, the electronically controlled aspects of the engine can be modified in
the process known as 'mapping'. Mapping can either be performed by changing the
software within the ECU, or by providing false data via plug-in hardware.
Mechanical components can also be replaced, such as turbochargers or
superchargers. Other standalone engine management
systems are available. These systems replace the factory computer with one
that is user programmable. Improper, incorrect and poorly executed
engine modifications can have a detrimental effect on performance.
Mechanical and electrical components will suffer or simply fail as a result.
An example would be the use of an air compressor such as a turbocharger to
increase the volume of air used in power stroke of the otto cycle. In a typical
chemical reaction, the air-fuel ratio must be a minimum of 14:1. If higher
ratios are used, higher pressures and temperatures are observed in the
cylinders, which can quickly push an engine beyond its intended design
limits. Neglecting such operating parameters can lead to premature
failure, such as warped cylinder heads and walls, disintegrated piston rings,
cracked or bent connecting rods and crankshafts, total cooling system
failure, engine fire, engine detonation, engine seizing, and even blowouts. This
can all lead to very expensive repairs, as well as being very dangerous.
= Suspension tuning = Suspension tuning involves modifying the
springs, shock absorbers, swaybars, and other related components of a vehicle.
Shorter springs offer greater stiffness and a lower center of gravity at the
possible cost of unwanted changes of suspension geometry. Stiffer shock
absorbers improve the dynamic weight shifting during cornering and normally
have shorter internals to stop them from bottoming out when shorter springs are
used. Stiffer sway bars reduce body roll during cornering, thus improving the
grip that the tires have on the surface by reducing suspension geometry changes
caused by roll; this also improves handling response due to faster weight
shifting The danger with overly stiff swaybars is the lifing of the inner
wheel, which changes traction of that end at a discontinuous rate. By
increasing the roll resistance of on end, weight transfer is concentrated at
that end, causing it to slip more than the other. This effect is used to
control the over/under steer characteristic as well as to reduce
roll. Other components that are sometimes added are strut bars, which
improve the body stiffness and help better maintain the proper suspension
geometry during cornering. On some cars certain braces, anti-roll bars, etc.,
can be retrofitted to base model cars from sports models.
For offroad vehicles, the emphasis is on lengthening the suspension travel and
installing larger tires. Larger tires, with or without larger wheels, increase
ground clearance, ride over short obstacles and holes more smoothly,
provide more cushioning and decrease ground loading which is important on
soft surfaces. These suspension modifications are in
contrast to Lowriders with hydraulic or pneumatic suspensions. Lowriders use
another type of suspension tuning in which the height of each individual
wheel can be rapidly adjusted by a system of rams which, in some cases,
makes it possible to "bounce" the wheels completely clear of the ground.
= Body tuning = Body tuning involves adding or modifying
spoilers and a body kit in order to improve the aerodynamic performance of a
vehicle. Through the generation of downforce, cornering speeds and tire
adhesion can be improved, often at the expense of increased drag. To lighten
the vehicle, bodywork components such as hoods and rear view mirrors may be
replaced with lighter weight components. Often, body modifications are done
mainly to improve a vehicle's appearance, as in the case of
non-functioning scoops, wide arches or other aesthetic modification.
Aftermarket spoilers or body kits rarely improve a car's performance. The
majority, in fact, add weight and increase the drag coefficient of the
vehicle, thus reducing its overall performance.
Increasing the wheel track width through spacers and wide body kits enhance the
cars cornering ability. Lowering the center of gravity via suspension
modifications is another aim of body tuning. Often, suspension tuners
unfamiliar with spring dynamics will cut stock springs, producing a harder,
bouncy ride. It is also common to lower the car too far, beyond the optimal
height for performance, purely for appearance.
Competition cars may have light weight windows, or the windows may be
completely removed, as auto glass adds significant weight high up. Plastic
windows are much more vulnerable to scratches which reduces service life.
= Tires = Tires have large effects on a car's
behavior and are replaced periodically, therefore tire selection is a very
cost-effective way to personalize an automobile. Choices include tires for
various weather and road conditions, different sizes and various compromises
between cost, grip, service life, rolling resistance, handling and ride
comfort. = Detuning =
Detuning is returning a modified car to its original factory status or reducing
its performance in a particular area of tuning. For example, a car may be
"detuned" to allow increased traction where the track grip is not sufficient
to handle the increased power of the tuned engine.
Styles of modification Modified cars can be significantly
different from their stock counterparts. A common factor among owners/modifiers
is to emulate the visual and/or performance characteristics of
established styles and design principles. Sometimes these similarities
are unintentional. Some of the many different styles and visual influences
to car modification are: Rat rod /Rat style: Style of hot rod and
custom cars, imitating the "unfinished" appearance of some hot rods in the 40s,
50s and 60s. Rat style also defines a car that is kept on the road no matter
what,and at a low cost Euro style: One off paint/small wheels
and lowered or stance'd with shaved features to define car body lines.
Lowrider: Hydraulic setups, flashy paint, custom interior, bling wheels.
Others may look like straight restorations, aside from a low stance.
Import scene /JDM: Japanese Scene that uses Japanese vehicles, aftermarket
parts and Race details. DUB/DONK: Extremely large designer
wheels, loud speaker set-ups and abnormally high ride height.
SLAB: Originated in the Houston, TX area since the mid-1980s, custom wire wheels
fitted with Vogue Tyres, loud speaker set-ups, neon signage inside the trunk
panel, hydraulic-actuated trunk panels, flashy paint, vertical stainless steel
trim on the trunk panel aftermarket grille, and the use of a Cadillac front
end sheetmetal conversion. Vehicle interior usually clad in beige or tan,
and a Grant GT steering wheel clad in woodgrain.
Bōsōzoku/zokusha: This Japanese style features wide body kits, huge wings and
exaggerated exhausts. VIP style: Japanese style that evolved
from Bōsōzoku that emulates the Extreme style with a more modern vibe, e.g.
ridiculously low ride heights, camber, body kits, lights.
Cal Look: Classic beach look and subtle features added to give a Cali sense.
Military/service style: Cars designed to look like certain service vehicles.
Hot rod style largely consists of period specific vehicles, components and
finishes to reproduce characteristics of early Drag-rods from the 1930s and
1940s. Custom cars : Cars built for the
showroom floor can be any manner of car Sleeper: This is where a car owner will
put every effort into performance and try to keep the car looking stock,
usually to avoid raising suspicion. Rallying: Cars built to be driven on
dirt. Drifting: Cars engineered to drift.
Drag racing: Cars engineered for straight line speed.
South London Look: Subtly modified 50's-70's British Fords that are
lowered, pastel paint, 13 inch Lotus Cortina steels or RS, Minilite,
Revolution mag wheels. Often running a tuned Ford Kent, Pinto engine.
German Look: A VW Type 1, Type 3 or Karmann Ghia lowered and fitted with
late model Porsche mag wheels and touring car influenced styling. Heavily
modified suspension and drivetrain with emphasis on handling and cornering.
Legal requirements Many countries or municipalities have
legal requirements which govern vehicle modifications. For example, all vehicles
in Victoria, Australia, must conform to construction standards to ensure vehicle
safety. There are also restrictions for P Plate drivers which can prevent young
drivers from driving modified vehicles. Developed countries have "smog rules",
which generally forbid any modifications to engines or related components, unless
the modifications themselves are type smog certified, like production car
models. One of a kind modifications, even if they do not actually result in
increased emissions, prevent legal use on public roads.
Sanctioning organizations Many organizations involved in
competitive motorsports establish safety guidelines that far exceed legal
requirements placed on street legal vehicles. The NHRA, IHRA and SOLO
programs all require that vehicles pass inspection to ensure that all
regulations are being complied with. See also
Aftermarket Air-fuel ratio meter
Automotive restoration Boy racer
Chrome plating Custom car
Electric vehicle conversion Green tuning
Hondata Import scene
SEMA Shift kit
Uberdata Veilside
Virtual tuning List of automotive customizers
References