DIY Car Culture in a Disposable Era

Wrenching on your motor seems like a thing of the past

Once upon a time, every driveway had an oil slick on the cement, and every car owner had the tools to do his own maintenance. You didn’t have to, but you could if you wanted to. Getting your car fixed wasn’t expensive, but it was gratifying enough for some folks to do want to do it themselves. A weekend project that ran late usually reeked of gas and triumph.

The carmakers would like nothing more to toss that era into the dustbin of history.

Modern cars are sleeker, smarter, safer... and sealed shut like iPhones. Apple began that nonsense 40 years ago, and planned obsolescence started even before then. You’re not supposed to fix them. You're supposed to finance them. For 84 months. And then they are supposed to be obsolete, just in time to trade them in before anything serious breaks.

I am glad to say I see something spawning in the background that doesn’t align with carmakers’ intent. My old disposable wagon is a testament to good engineering. Anything built after COVID is pure garbage, even Toyota can’t seem to get it right lately.

People are tired of buying trash. The movement is moving. YouTube wrenchers with millions of followers. Right-to-repair lawsuits are popping up and making headlines. 20-year-old forums still buzzing with life.

Today, A guy like Vice Grip Garage darting around the United States, driving home in cars that sat for decades, finds an audience. The cars of yore are authentic. They stink. They are dangerous. They are unreliable. People like the Car Wizard helps average Joe figure out how much car they really need, and which manufacturers to avoid.

The DIY car world isn’t dying, it is finding its legs. This is the new normal. Rockauto is not dead, it is thriving. I found many rare parts in a FB group for my car, the 2nd Generation Honda group.

I am seeing a lot of fun stuff happening in my group, and I am sure there are more custom builders all over the place. This is the scene where unique, genuine fun happens. I will be looking into turbocharging the tiny little 1.5L CVCC motor.

Of course, I can go buy a K20A3 and turbo, and put it in. It will be a lot less work. And be alot more reliable. Or as another forum-goer did, stick a 6-cylinder 3.5L Acura powerplant under the hood. That is a fast little grocery getter.

But the fun is in doing something challenging, something nobody else has done. This motor, the EM1, was never turbocharged en-masse. I thinke maybe one or two people have done it, and it was not well-documented.

Precisely because it is a mechanical turbocharger setup is why I am interested. It needs a carb hat. In an era of computerized control, making the turbo work without the digital footprint will be the most fascinating part.

So, I implore you, reader, to customize your vehicle. Get into wrenching, get a garage and a lift, and make something unique. Learn a new skill - body work, welding, whatever. You will be surprised how much you learn about yourself when you have a challenge in front of you.