My two cents:
While gassing up at a local Mobile station, a dreadlocked "Fast and Furious" deciple pulls up in his bespoilered Mitsubishi Eclipse. He jumps out, scans over the the Cobra and his eyes stop at the
oil cooler. He immediately barks "Yo, you got a turbo in that thing!?!" Obviously mistaking it for an intercooler, I tell him "No, no turbo". He then asks, "What 'ya runnin' in there?". I reply "a 351 Cleavland". Puzzled, he asks, "is that a VTEC?" Now I figure I'm going to have some fun with this kid. "Yeah, a
VTEC - I pulled it out of a Type-R with a supercharger". His eyes light up, obvioulsy I have touched on the Holy Grail of the import generation. I bet he would have believed it was front wheel drive if I told him. Once I started it up, his puzzled look changed. Fortunately the exhaust drowned out his next comment, better off I'm sure...
Finally, when did "kit car" become a bad word. It must be, because I see people approach me wielding it like a sword. When I go to shows, cruise nights, out to dinner whatever - I don't act like my Superformance is an original. Hell, I didn't even build the thing - yet many people come over, and as if they are exposing a huge scandal - gallantly cry out 'That's a Kit Car!". Then almost spit on it as they turn around and walk away. If I'm asked if my car is a kit, I say "No, it is a replica built in a factory in South Africa. It comes fully assembled - they don't offer it as a kit". As I look at their faces, I know many of them don't believe me. I guess the only saving grace is the piece of crap they drive off in...
Jonathan