Too much of a good thing? Custom Accessories.

Too much of a good thing? Custom Accessories.

Some period accessories were born to go on a traditional custom car- Like Appleton spots or flipper hubcaps. But what accessories go a little too far? It’s a matter of personal taste for sure (and yours may vary from mine), but even in the 1950s you saw clean customs ruined by 20 fake antennas or bumper guards bolted on top of bumper guards. When I see a really clean, chopped Merc, it’s always a bit distracting to find some accessory items tacked onto the car that feels like an afterthought. As I’ve said quite often about my own customizing philosophy, less is usually more (successful). Here’s the add-on bits I personally often get tripped up on:

1. Oversized Flame Throwers. I love the fiery affect of lighting up the night, but in recent years I’ve seen these grow from mere tailpipes to massive chrome bazookas sticking 3 feet past the back of a car. If they need their own set of wheels to hold them up, you’ve likely gone too far.

2. Tacked-on side trim. The point of brightwork on a custom is to replace the stock trim with something more appealing or clean that enhances the bodywork. I  sometimes wonder why someone just adds more and more chrome strips for the sake of shiny stuff. I want everything on my car to emphasize the beauty of it’s lines, not distract from them.

3. Chrome Bullets. Great items for covering wiper nubs, bolting on plate frames, or making hubcap centers… But using chrome bullets to fill in dozens of stock trim holes or make patterns on a hood (yes, I’ve seen this) isn’t the point. A car can start to look like biker jacket at some point.

Ok, I’ve cleared my rant list, so what about your thoughts? What doo-dads to you personally find distracting to a fine traditional lead sled? (opinions may vary, so tread lightly)

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