‘Throw Some D’s’ on it: Custom
Cars Light Up Car Industry
By Kevin Morris
ack when automobiles were introduced to the so customers want to be able to be comfortable.”
B
United States by Henry Ford in 1914, an engine, a Wrenn also noted that most of his customers were in the
seat, and wheels were the only essentials needed age range of 18-35 years old, and mostly ordering tinted
to be considered luxury. Now, much more is need- windows, chrome accessories, or rims and tire jobs. Any
ed to say your means of transportation is more comfortable job being done could reach thousands of dollars, which is
than the next. From custom paint jobs to installed electrical why the customer should be sure they know what they’re
devices, custom cars have become the ultimate vehicular paying for.
accessory for today’s popular culture–– thanks to shows “You get what you pay for,” Wrenn says, explaining the
like MTV’s “Pimp My Ride” and songs by various hip- most important thing a custom consumer should know. “If
hop artists such as Jay-Z’s “Big Pimpin’” and Rich Boy’s you don’t pay enough for it, you’re still going to get what
“Throw Some D’s.” you paid.” Because of this, Wrenn says you will often
Customizing cars has been a trend in American pop cul- see customers with faulty or easily damaged custom jobs
ture since the 1950s. The term refers to one’s altering of because they paid a little less than the better quality prod-
their passenger vehicle either for performance enhancement ucts.
or personal styling. Though the first true custom car was Aside from payment, it is also good to know that not
said to be built in 1932 by Ford, its popularity did not catch every car is fit for customization. In fact, car manufacturers
on until after World War II. The customization of post-war are now designing cars to be modified, offering their own
cars soon declined due to the popularization of “muscle service due to the popularity of custom cars.
cars” with high-powered performance engines. During this “The new Chrysler 300 is the best car to customize,”
time, custom cars still remained popular among drive-in says Wrenn. “It was designed for customization.” The
restaurants in Southern California and Hollywood. Now, Chrysler 300 is a new car just released this year that was
the trend has spread all the way to the east coast; even to designed by Ralph Gilles and Freeman Thomas, who are
Baltimore. both African Americans.
“Customizing vehicles wasn’t very popular around here For over half a century, custom car making has been a
until about the ‘80s or ‘90s,” says Mark Wrenn, manager part of the automobile industry, but only recently has it gar-
and owner of M&G Customs located on Fredrick Avenue nered any notice. Yet, because of flourishing popularity in
in Baltimore, Md. for the past 13 years. “The hip-hop cul- the media, it has become more than just a car accessory, it
ture is a big reason for custom car making’s popularity as has changed the automobile industry as a whole.
well as the fact that many cars now are built to last longer,
22 Trends A publication of the Afro-American Newspapers
SUMMER TRENDS.indd 22 6/3/08 9:08:23 PM
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