Tuning

The tuning

The term tuning comes from the English verb " to tune" who means to grant. (for musical instrument at the base) Its direction of it was slightly here derived where one can affirm that wants to say to grant in the direction to optimize, to regulate…

The tuning is thus a modification of a vehicle (automobile, motor bike, bicycle, scootor, etc…) of series by another similar part for reasons of esthetics, and/or performances, etc… The modifications are made in optics improve the vehicle.

It is characterized in general, by the installation of accessories interior, external, of machine elements or electronic for to improve the vehicle.

The secondary goal of the tuning is to personalize its vehicle, i.e. to return it to its tastes, but this objective is secondary. The original intention is first of all (in theory) to improve its vehicle.

At present the tuning and the automobile preparation are especially to develop in the United States, in Canada, in Japan, and finally in Europe. (as well in France, as in Germany, in Scandinavia, Spain, etc…) Each one of these areas have to develop their own styles besides. (see below) But this mobility did not finish extending, and one sees today new countries practiced the tuning like the Maghreb countries, Turkey, South Korea, etc…; and did not finish extending!

The tuning is sometimes considered by the amateurs of cars of series, and more generally the general public, like a leisure practiced by the popular layers of the company. The detractors of the tuning reproach him inter alia the vain expenditure which it would induce, as well as a bad taste due to a certain exaggeration.

History

The tuning is an activity (generally Automobile) which consists, for the amateurs, to personalize and transform their standard vehicle to differentiate it from the standard vehicles. And that generally on cars but also more and more on 2 wheels, trucks as all the conceivable vehicles which they are motorized or not.

It should however be distinguished from the custom, of which it would be a derivative and who was born in the United States about the years 1930. This automobile movement consists in personalizing its vehicle and carrying out the most insane desires of the amateurs, by carrying out a radical change requiring often a notorious modification of the vehicle.

At the beginning the tuning was not that a simple improvement of a car then little by little the tuning especially related to the engine preparation of vehicles. The preparers sharpened mechanics by improving the performances of the vehicles, while keeping them usable in circulation.

Since now more than one ten years, the tuning does not relate to only any more the engine preparation; research also goes on the appearance and the addition of equipment.

Some examples:

Kit S body, composed of bumper, aileron, low of case, eyelids of headlights, etc
addition of aluminum rims, size larger than those of origin,
worked over again or improved brake,
left more visible and more audible exhaust by ends varied sizes,
addition or change of instrumentation (meters, pressure gauges,…),
change of the automobile Saddlery (leather addition),
addition of interior accessories, in particular of embarked systems multi-media (GPS, reader DVD),
change of painting, vinyl addition varied,
change of the embarked audio system, with additions of loudspeakers,…
integration of headlights and/or fires, coming from another type of vehicle (especially on the old models).
advanced modification of the engine (Turbo-compressor, system of injection, etc)

There exist also contests of acceleration (" Runs "), and of the competitions based on the audio systems. Recently, one also saw in Europe the emergence of contests of skid, imported of Japan, and called Drift .

Various styles of tuning

There exist the numerous ones, and various styles of tuning, in the world. And all does not suffer from a bad reputation as one can in particular know it in France.

With the the United States

the Hot-rod , this style is neither more, nor less than the first steps of the tuning! This style is carried out mainly (see only) on the models among two wars. For example, Ford 32, and 33 are very present in this movement. Inside even of this movement there exist several styles such as for example, the rats road where one voluntarily lets rust the car for him given an aspect " patiné"

the Kustom

the Pro-touring , this style is carried out on old American, namely the muscles bus. The modifications engines frequent, is in particular studied there for the Drags. The interiors leathers make sometimes their appearances when the preparation is not solely studied for the drag. One also often finds a set of rims 17 with 20".

the lowriding invented by the Latin-American ones of the west coast, having in particular a hydraulic suspension which enables them to rise and to bend down, and to carry out jumps, giving place to contests disputing with modified cars.

This style is not carried out on any car, but on the cars means of range of the years 1970 to 1990. Paintings are often whimsical and rather exuberant there. Moreover, the lowriding has to develop its own style of decoration: Paint-stripping

the Donk style resulting from the south of the United States whose major characteristic is to add disproportionate rims and tires on car models means of range of the years 1970 to 1990, equipped with whimsical paintings. This style appeared in 2004 on the southern part Is of the United States. Besides there exists a small competition between Lowriding, and Donk style, as well as there are some in the US rap between East Coast, and West Coast.

the ''' DUB ''', a tendency of very top-of-the-range personalization, on top-of-the-range cars themselves (in particular Chrysler 300, or standard SUV Hummer); the most notable characteristic of cars DUB is rims of big size. The interior equipment is often very luxurious (multi-media/video).

The " term; Dub" , in fact an abbreviation of " is; Dubble" , and the rims (which form parts integral of the preparation in style DUB) make at least " dub' ten inch" (2 times 10" => 20").

the Rétro Build is a very new tendency which comes from Sowed Show 2007, of which the goal is to take a muscle because new generation and modified in order to give him an aspect " old school". The result is surprising.

With the Japan

It exists many different styles there, but they in their great majorities are dedicated to a sporting use. The tuning in Japan east very associated with the automobile sport.

the ''' VIP ''', this style of car consists in personalizing a Japanese luxury car (Lexus GS300 for example). It was in particular created by the yakuzas (Maffia Japanese woman). One adds to it large rims (often 12" of width!), a short suspension. The engine is also modified. That is connected with DUB to some extent, but in version reduced.

The spirit is to make in kind so that the glance does not stop on a detail, therefore that the whole remains homogeneous.

the ''' Sleepers ''', which means " Dormeur" in English. It consists in modifying only the mechanical parts of the car, the frame and the connection on the ground (rims, tires, suspensions, bars of reinforcements…).

the ''' JDM ''', which means " japanese domestic market" consist in preparing a Japanese car like Japanese do it in their country (i.e. in general of sleeper type with a kit rather sober body). For example, one will withdraw the logo " US" to replace it by the logo of the model to Japan (with Japanese characters), and one will provide themselves only in the manufacturer for the parts to modify. It is very with the mode currently.

the style Drift transistor , that even comes from the sport him, or it goal is to skid while being most impressive possible. On the car in it even, the modifications are thought with an aim of being powerful. The engine, frames, aerodynamics, are often modified there. But the other aspect which differentiates it from Sleeper, is the outside which is often flooded stickers, and sponsors. Decoration outside is often put out of mirror between the two with dimensions ones of the car because the change of direction of reading of the text can unbalance esthetics according to with dimensions visible one.

the Japanese Lowriding , it takes again the same modifications exactly as the " vrai" lowriding, but on old Japanese bases. (see above)

the Japan look , represents a car with a very thorough preparation at the multi-media level. The video audio, it, neons, are systematically installed on this kind of preparation.

the style Bososoku , this style can be related with a preparation of " JaCkY". Indeed, the modifications are exuberant and very unaesthetic there to see even dangerous: ailerons, bumper, and other modifications are oversize.

In Europe

the style Euro-tuning , this style does not have in fact anything in particular who characterizes it, if it is not that it is carried out on a European basis. One finds there also the various modifications with the engine, outside, with the rims, etc…

the German look , one speaks here about tuning " sobre". Indeed, the modifications are light, and the homogeneity is sought. The bases are German as the name implies it. The current modifications are: a lowering of the ground clearance, rims with offsets, a désiglage, a remade interior, but without exubérance.

This style is sometimes so sober that he is almost not noticed.

the Spanish Tuning , is a style completely contrary to the german look. It is practiced (at the base) in Spain, from where are name, but this style starts to cross the borders. The bases are often unrecognizable. Indeed, really all is re-examined, and one picks sometimes in the elements of another model. Paintings are there very sharp, and often accompanied by decorations of the " type; flamming" , or " tribal" , although many of other styles of decorations exist.

The bases also are very often widened, thus one 206 could easily make 2,20 m broad. Another characteristic, is that the lines are very often smoothed and round.

the Italian Tuning , this style is very close to the Spanish style, and takes again all its characteristics to him, except that on their premises the lines are " cassées" , and the air intakes are there often very numerous.

This style is quite as exuberant as the Spanish style.

International fairs of tuning

The Sowed Show of Las Vegas in the United States.

The Dub Custom Car Show of Los Angeles in the United States.

The Tokyo Car Living room of Tokyo in Japan.

The Paris Tuning Show in Paris in France.

The Essen Motorsport in Essen in Germany.

International GTI Tuning of Magny Course on the circuit of Magny Course in France organized by the French-speaking magazine of tuning GTImag.

The tuning and media

French-speaking magazines

There exist several magazines on this phenomenon in the press:

- Modify - ADDX - Option Car - GTImag - RAJ (Racing Japan Car) - Maximum Tuning - Boost Tuning

Television programs

There exist several emissions on the tuning and the automobile preparation like " Pimp My Ride" (in the USA diffused by MTV), or " Best Motoring" (in Japan)

Pimp My Ride is an American emission realized by MTV which consists with tuner a car of a candidate of (very) bad state. The realization are often exuberant there.

This emission is presented by the rapor X-Zibit.

big competition tuning is also an emission realized by MTV. That Ci consists of a contest between two garage specialized in the tuning: each team have the same budget, the same base (car of origin), and same time to carry out best the possible realization.

Best Motoring is a Japanese emission. The concept of this emission is to test several car within the framework of a race on circuit. There are two versions: the version " simple" , and the version " hot". The first tests cars of origin while the second tests some modified.

Mangas

There exist two manga on this phenomenon: Initial D , and Wangan Midnight

Video games of tuning

The tuning inspired several video games. Let us quote in particular celebrates it series Gran Turismo, which makes it possible to modify the performances and even the esthetics of its vehicles, by the addition and the replacement of parts. Also let us quote most recent Need For Speed Underground I and II, Need For Speed Most Wanted, Need For Speed Carbon, Need For Speed infernal continuation 2 and Juiced 1 and 2, or the series of the Midnight Club 1,2 and 3 created by Rockstar Games.

Justice/legislation

Each country takes care of the application of the laws on the road and the vehicles. The personalized vehicles are subject rigorously to these rules as well for safety reasons for the community and the driver as of environment. When a car does not respect the standards, she sees her access restricted to the ways or nonpublic roads. If a driver is taken in infringement, it is liable to a fine, and is likely to pass to the court and to be seen confiscating its vehicle if it does not give it in its configuration of origin.

It seems completely utopian today to conceive a tuning project in conformity with the French laws. The reason is simple: there really does not exist of legislation adapted to the various transformations. The only possibility is the reception on a purely basis isolated, which is very expensive and practically impossible in the case of modifications made to a vehicle already approved by type. The followers of the discipline thus evolve/move in a complete legal blur. To cure this gap in the law, certain professionals met to set up the FI2A, the first federation of tuning which bears officially the name of Interprofessional Federation of the Car accessories. Today, about thirty professionals are affiliated with this grouping. Their goal: to give a better indication of the tuning in France and to allow impassioned to carry out respectful preparations of the laws and security standards. The mission of this federation is likely to be long and delicate but if the result is with go, the tuning has very to gain there (to be started with a greater recognition).

What a Rice*

The term Rice is a word often used with the Quebec in the jargon of the tuning. Rice is an insult which one uses for an owner of a car modified with cheap parts.

The term Rice goes back to the end of the Années 1960. At that time, the motorcyclists of the United States said Rice Burner for the motor bikes of origin Japan ease, which means “carbide with rice”. This term at summer taken again during the Years 1970 by the amateurs of Muscles Bus “muscular American Car” to laugh at the Japanese cars.

Today, Québécois amateurs of tuning, one transformed the term Rice Burner for Rice but to indicate cheap or useless modifications.

From there comes the ricer term, puns between rice and racer which designates an owner of modified Japanese car.

See too

Internal bonds

automobile Preparer
Jacky
Lowrider
Donk
Dub
Prorider
Pimp My Ride
automobile Sellerie

External bond

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