the car models can be whatever, I’m just curious if anyone is dressing up their cheap cars as expensive ones or if this is an industry yet?
is there a legal hurdle?
is there a limit to car decision in general?
is this sort of car case business already a thing?
Look up Kit Cars and other types of aftermarket mods. Usually it’s an issue of getting the DMV to register it when it claims to be a Toyota but doesn’t look like one. Roadworthiness inspections are expensive and you need to have exhaustive detail on everything.
Ultimately it costs tens of thousands of dollars to do, at which point it makes more sense to just buy a nicer car (for most people)
This depends heavily on the state.
Some states are draconian and will never let you register it. Some states will go “OK, you got lights, a seat belt, and four wheels. You good, here’s your VIN.”
thanks, i will look into kit cars and mods.
I’ve been idly wondering about this for years.
For your example, I think it’d be a helluva lot more practical to swap a Rolls Royce drivetrain out for a Toyota drivetrain rather than replicate a Rolls body onto something like a Corolla. The latter always looks like goofy shit unless both cars are similar size and shape.
have you seen that happen before?
the latter, i mean?
No but Google’s AI has:
Come to Montana, you can drive your lawnmower if you want. Don’t even need license plates, according to the million Tesla’s I see without any tags.
It sounds like maybe what you’re actually looking for is a used Lexus. They are toyota drivetrains with luxury bodies.
I’m more curious if this sort of aesthetic vehicle casing is something people do, regardless of the brand.
I think the term is body swap. And it is a thing people do. I think I saw someone put a Honda Odyssey body onto a Tesla plaid frame a couple weeks ago. I think they said the key was finding 2 cars with a similar wheelbase
thank you, i figures someone had to be freaky fridaying cars somewhere.
https://youtu.be/cSluOL_Xhm0?si=_LPx3LkZfis_v7jg
Found the video I mentioned, btw
Ha, thanks, I’ll check that out. Plaidessey.
Traditionally, the typical donor car for fake Rolls Royces is a VW Beetle:
thanks, very interesting
“I don’t actually drive a Prius. I drive a Hummer with a Prius shell on top. Gets even worse gas mileage than the Hummer!” - Will Arnette
You can DIY build a car body yourself.
Like these friends in Vietnam who made their own Bugatti and used a Carolla engine. Link
Also, Truong Van Dao from Vietnam has created replicas from wood. Worth checking out the videos for the artistry.
- The real answer is Kit Cars as mentioned elsewhere.
i think i remember seeing that! I don’t know if it was clay or wood, but it’s very cool either way.
Call it a Still Rolls Royce