Aussie Street Scene
From Mod Mania
Aussie Street Scene
The Aussie street scene has grown over the past few years. The market for fast and powerful cars has taken a turn into the Aussie market. Many young to middle aged drivers opt for the choice to modify their cars to make them unique and more powerful on the road even though it may not be legal to use these cars to their full potential. The modified street scene links young drivers which are generalised as hoons, who people believe have more money than brains. These drivers are not all hoons. They are car enthusiasts who enjoy their cars and who who want to stand out from the crowd of same make and build cars. Who just want to be noticed with a nice car and a powerful machine under their control.
The Australian car market consists of many imports and many locally made cars. However there is one company born and bread in this country which is an icon to the country. Holden an Australian company arose in 1948 and is an Australian icon. The cars produced have remained in history and have been passed from father to son and then to their sons. Holden’s have been apart of Australians lives and continue to. However these days when a father’s son gets a hold of a Holden they begin to modernise it and change it. They modify it. Making old cars modern in design and power. Due to not all people able to afford new cars they buy old cars and modernise them to catch up with the times even making old cars better than new ones. Bringing them from destruction to a new age. Many just fix problems over the years and decide to make them better with aftermarket parts so the problem doesn’t arise in the future.
After market parts are becoming more readily available as Australian manufacturers are making parts for Australian cars, keeping jobs in Australia. These parts are being developed designed and manufactured in Australia for Australians. These parts are easier to come by than imported parts as they do not need to be imported and stored. Where as distributation sheds are near by in Australia so they can be shipped out in the next day.
The car scene consists of mainly guys and a small number of women, meeting each other at car parks or at organised cruise events. Or even at drag strips where they swarm to see the power and performance of their cars down the quarter mile. The cars showcased are modified heavily and tuned by aftermarket professionals who incorporate aftermarket computer systems in the car or even put in a large turbo or supercharger that would never come stock standard in the car. Most of these cars would never be manufactured as modified as they are too expensive to run and maintain. Then owners of the cars obviously don’t care about the cost of maintaining their cars they just do it because they love it.
The main crazes in the modified street scene are rims. Many car enthusiasts begin with modifying and making their cars unique with rims. Different sizes colours and patterns are available. Most opt for the largest they can fit on their car however some choose to get ones for performance. These rims are quite expensive some even costing more than the car. With these rims comes the first step of making there car look good to them and unique amongst others of the same kind. Many parts can be modified on a car, these are engine bays, interior trim, chassis, body, differentials, suspension and drive train. To name a few, there are many more.
Even though many modify there cars for street driving some modify them for show. They place there cars in competitions like ‘show and shine’ where there car is critiqued and judged amongst others to see who’s is the best presented. Others modify their cars for power and speed to race each other down the quarter mile trying to get the shortest time down the straight.
Many like the enjoyment involved when getting together in large groups and driving around. The guys at Street commodore’s magazine organised an Australian wide cruise for charity. Where they raise money from participants and give that money to the starlight children’s foundation. More than 3500 cars appeared in 2007 and in 2008 it was said to be bigger with them raising $156,000 as said on the cruise for charity website (street commodores magazine, website by Express Publications, 2008 - http://www.cruiseforcharity.com.au/index.html). Just 1000 cars arrived in Victoria raising $37, 5000. Even though the cruise could have been bigger if any car make was allowed to attend but still the large number of Holden’s shows that not all modified car enthusiasts are hoons and trouble they also have a soft side and want to help the country when there cars are involved. There cars are their hearts.
Even though many young drivers do the right thing police will pick on modified cars. They check if they are roadworthy and that the person driving is allowed to drive the high powered car. Many he time young drivers drive unsafe cars and illegal ones as they want to get the most out of their cars in power and looks which may not be in the best interest of the police. As long as you do not do anything silly or illegal to your car the police will treat you with respect. Don’t forget them too may be car enthusiast; they just have to do their job and police young drivers before they injure or kill themselves and others.
Most car enthusiasts can be generalised as hoon, however this is not the case. Most just love automobiles and the thrill of making a mean street machine which may have the looks or the power or both. So next time you see a group of young guys meeting up in a car park don’t say they are there to cause trouble just think they are meeting up to enjoy their cars which they have spent a lot of time and money on.
By Steven Mastrolorito s3199699
