Why is STOCK embarrassing?
Banned
Joined: 10-24-2006
Posts: 1,761
From: The Show-Me State
I think I have more of an issue with people who don't know when to STOP modding their car. Nesbitt gave us a clean design and it seems like people will stop at nothing and throw piles of money into making it ugly.
Here's my nickel's worth of free advice for people taking on modding their HHR.
1. Pick a theme. Adding random stick-ons and badges from various eras that don't match just make the car look terrible. Also, it's not necessary to have HHR painted on your tailgate twice.
2. Make it tasteful. There's a reason why the HHR has simple block lettering for the badges and the bowtie. Busy badges and fins are from the Harley Earl era, not the late '40s.
3. Use quality components. I realize there's a serious shortage of parts designed for the HHR, but vinyl graphics like most of the fugly woody kits and tacky "Lead Sled" and "Hot Rod" badges straight from JC Whitney are waaaay too whiskey tango for a brand new car.
4. Know when to stop. There comes a point when "one more thing" will make the car so ugly yo' mama wouldn't drive it.
Here's my nickel's worth of free advice for people taking on modding their HHR.
1. Pick a theme. Adding random stick-ons and badges from various eras that don't match just make the car look terrible. Also, it's not necessary to have HHR painted on your tailgate twice.
2. Make it tasteful. There's a reason why the HHR has simple block lettering for the badges and the bowtie. Busy badges and fins are from the Harley Earl era, not the late '40s.
3. Use quality components. I realize there's a serious shortage of parts designed for the HHR, but vinyl graphics like most of the fugly woody kits and tacky "Lead Sled" and "Hot Rod" badges straight from JC Whitney are waaaay too whiskey tango for a brand new car.
4. Know when to stop. There comes a point when "one more thing" will make the car so ugly yo' mama wouldn't drive it.
Senior Member
Joined: 05-01-2006
Posts: 2,507
From: New London, CT USA
I'm with it here. Not modding is no reason to be embarrased, THe HHR is such a cool car anyway.
Too much modding can be overkill. Heck this site kinda says a lot:
http://www.riceboypage.com/
With all that said, I still cannot drive through this year without my Tail light chrome rings!
Gotta git some. Frothing for them
All my Corvair's have had them, YEAH Chevy!
Too much modding can be overkill. Heck this site kinda says a lot:
http://www.riceboypage.com/
With all that said, I still cannot drive through this year without my Tail light chrome rings!
Gotta git some. Frothing for them All my Corvair's have had them, YEAH Chevy!
Senior Member
Joined: 01-14-2006
Posts: 1,615
From: La Crescenta, CA
I didn't mean like that. I meant thousands of stock HHRs. Like if person A drives a stock black 2LT HHR with a spoiler there is really no difference between person B's stock black 2LT HHR with a spoiler or any of the other thousands of stock black 2LT HHRs with spoilers. I guess my point was to make yours stand out from the bunch because we already stand out from the crowd.
Senior Member
Joined: 05-22-2007
Posts: 164
From: Ohio
The only mod I've ever done before was vent visors and running boards on an '01 F150. With the HHR being a retro car, I want to do (what I consider to be) retro mods. That's why I did the script chevy emblems, tailpipe extension and portholes. Since so many people seem to think it's a 'bastardized' PT, I put the HHR emblems on the door, like the PT has its name there. But, stock is great. That's what I first saw, and fell for.
Senior Member
Joined: 05-13-2006
Posts: 2,334
From: Chicago,IL
I think I have more of an issue with people who don't know when to STOP modding their car. Nesbitt gave us a clean design and it seems like people will stop at nothing and throw piles of money into making it ugly.
Here's my nickel's worth of free advice for people taking on modding their HHR.
1. Pick a theme. Adding random stick-ons and badges from various eras that don't match just make the car look terrible. Also, it's not necessary to have HHR painted on your tailgate twice.
2. Make it tasteful. There's a reason why the HHR has simple block lettering for the badges and the bowtie. Busy badges and fins are from the Harley Earl era, not the late '40s.
3. Use quality components. I realize there's a serious shortage of parts designed for the HHR, but vinyl graphics like most of the fugly woody kits and tacky "Lead Sled" and "Hot Rod" badges straight from JC Whitney are waaaay too whiskey tango for a brand new car.
4. Know when to stop. There comes a point when "one more thing" will make the car so ugly yo' mama wouldn't drive it.
Here's my nickel's worth of free advice for people taking on modding their HHR.
1. Pick a theme. Adding random stick-ons and badges from various eras that don't match just make the car look terrible. Also, it's not necessary to have HHR painted on your tailgate twice.
2. Make it tasteful. There's a reason why the HHR has simple block lettering for the badges and the bowtie. Busy badges and fins are from the Harley Earl era, not the late '40s.
3. Use quality components. I realize there's a serious shortage of parts designed for the HHR, but vinyl graphics like most of the fugly woody kits and tacky "Lead Sled" and "Hot Rod" badges straight from JC Whitney are waaaay too whiskey tango for a brand new car.
4. Know when to stop. There comes a point when "one more thing" will make the car so ugly yo' mama wouldn't drive it.
This also sounds like the kind of person who wouldn`t want to be on a site where people discuss altering Mr. Nesbitt`s creation, that we bought with the understanding that it was perfect already and any changes would be sacrilege.
Senior Member
Joined: 05-01-2006
Posts: 2,507
From: New London, CT USA
Well one thing for sure, we can expect that this person will always have a "STOCK HHR", that we will always be able to refer to.
This also sounds like the kind of person who wouldn`t want to be on a site where people discuss altering Mr. Nesbitt`s creation, that we bought with the understanding that it was perfect already and any changes would be sacrilege.
This also sounds like the kind of person who wouldn`t want to be on a site where people discuss altering Mr. Nesbitt`s creation, that we bought with the understanding that it was perfect already and any changes would be sacrilege.
Iron Man senses Irony...........
Senior Member
Joined: 10-04-2006
Posts: 150
From: Kanab,UT
Try going to a big "open" car show and look at all the old cars. You see everything from stock to very modified. All atract atention and the owners have the same feelings that are expressed here but most enjoy each others efforts. Mabey years from now the unmodified HHRs will be the ones worth the most money and desired by all. Mine is modified but enjoy them all as so many have said.
Senior Member
Joined: 04-03-2006
Posts: 1,747
From: Peoria. Illinois
The things that I do to my HHR are for me and I have no issues with a stock HHR...they are great. When we organize a show where we are awarding trophies, we have classes including one for stock HHRs, and the classes do reflect dollars inveted so that a person doing a few mods on their own are not trying to compete with a person who has made the decision to make a large investment to radically customize their HHR. There is no one class or group better than another, so we try to keep things competitive and fun. I have been into custom rides all of my life and have just one piece of unsolicited advice...whatever you do to your HHR, do it for your enjoyment, trophies collect dust, when we could be making friends and having fun...