Sad About Paul Walker? Have a Funny...

"Lets Just Drive" (lets-just-drive) 12/01/2013 at 00:31 • Filed to: None

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So, many of you may have heard me talk about my friends Lambo door Scion. It should be noted that his current garage is filled with a Datsun 1600 (which he's rebuilding) a 06 GTO (with near 500 ponies) and a Forrester (which he's WRX spec'd) before I go on. We all have our things.

Here's the rub; it was F&F that got him into cars. Maybe that's evident in his Scion.

The point is, Paul Walker was an instrumental element of post 2000 car culture and, for better or worse, helped build a whole new generation of enthusiasts with his sixteen gear shifts, impossible boost and typical Hollywood pfaffing around.

My thoughts and prayers go out to his friends and family...

... but let's never forget my friends Lambo door Scion.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > Lets Just Drive 12/01/2013 at 00:35

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Dude, he's only got like a 2-star build right there. He needs some hydros and spinners to start getting all the magazine covers.

Weird to think that if not for F&F, need for speed's "underground" diversion might not have happened. The second one in particular was a ton of fun.

Axial > Lets Just Drive 12/01/2013 at 00:36

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Lambo doors on non-Lambo cars get a worse rap than then deserve. I think it works quite well on your friend's car, though there is some untapped potential.

Lets Just Drive > Axial 12/01/2013 at 00:37

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He's since sold it on.

Lets Just Drive > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/01/2013 at 00:54

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At which point I'd argue that it's a lot like charity - it hardly matters what got you into charity, if it was some over the top Hollywood film, it only matters that it got you there.

That's how I feel about F&F; it's not important how you feel about the franchise if it helped get you into cars.

I'm not comparing the hobby to charity, just drawing a parallel.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > Lets Just Drive 12/01/2013 at 01:02

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I was practically born with a hot wheels car in my hand, but the tuner scene was interesting in that it really has become the modern form of hot rodding. V8 fans might bitch and whine, but the honda accord is today's ford fairlane. The Mitsubishi Eclipse is today's dodge dart. The Evo and STI are the charger 500 and Torino cobra.

I think I'll boot up my old copy and see if I can't make a halfway decent replica of the F&F series. I'll start with an eclipse, work my way through an Evo, maybe have an orange supra at some point (but it has to run 10s!) and then end up in a skyline.

Lets Just Drive > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/01/2013 at 01:06

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... fans might bitch and whine, but the honda accord is today's ford fairlane. The Mitsubishi Eclipse is today's dodge dart. The Evo and STI are the charger 500 and Torino cobra.

I agree in principal, though I'd probably offer different analogues. The point is that Civics and Accords and Celicas and even Supras (and so on) were cheap - kids could afford them and that's why the Tuner scene became a new generations version of Hot Rodding. It started with cheap Fords in the 30's, carried on to big V8's and through small four bangers.

There's nothing wrong with that.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > Lets Just Drive 12/01/2013 at 01:16

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I just had this discussion with my mom when I told her I wanted a fiesta ST for my first "new" car. She asked why I'd get something so small and it was difficult to explain the "lots of power in small package" to her. But then I did some numbers and math. The focus ST puts out almost as much power as a small block V8 from the muscle car era. For a bit more money than the fiesta, I could essentially have "muscle car" performance in a 300% more useable package. Better build quality, better fuel economy, easier to get into/out of, better seats, better handling, and 10000x safer in a crash.

Yes the character is different and maybe we're in a much bleaker climate but as we get more and more horsepower through simple bolt ons and tweaks like ECU flashing and intake/exhaust upgrades, I think the "tuners" proved that hot rodding will never really die. To tie this back in with Mr. Walker - Let's count the various actors who considered themselves car fanatics and racers first - James Dean, Steve McQueen, Paul Newman, James garner, Patrick Dempsey, Eric Bana, Frankie Muniz and Gene Hackman. I'd say he's in some good company.

Krieger (@FSKrieger22) > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/01/2013 at 04:01

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Fun for the racing, but every time I get to 10 stars I remember why it's not my favorite NFS. Gameplay is good, but too many of the aftermarket parts have utterly failed to age well...

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > Krieger (@FSKrieger22) 12/01/2013 at 04:15

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Don't look at it as a "game that held up poorly to time" and instead look at it as a study of what the popular culture was like just 10 years ago. I can distinctly remember eclipses and saturn coupes with "tear" vinyl graphics and big motegi 6 or 8 spoke wheels with poorly done up turbo kits. Those were in my high school parking lot back in the day (oh god, I just said that).

But yes they did age horribly which is why all the first tuner cars look horrible today. They were trying new things. It really was a "throw it all at the wall and see what sticks" mentality. You had the hydraulics and subs of lowrider culture, the forced induction and race parts of drag culture, the wild vinyls and paint were somewhat original interpretations of the 70s/80s lowrider and conversion van culture, the brands and coilovers and suspension mods from SCCA/track day culture.....they really were the frankensteins of the automotive world when you tied to stick all of that onto a camry.

But yeah, you can see how much we've evolved in just a few years. My own jetta would be considered boring 10 years ago.....Interesting, maybe, but boring. Nowadays it's considered a decent example of tuning to a budget with a good dose of style and theme without going overboard.

Like I said, this game is a museum/history piece more than anything.

Krieger (@FSKrieger22) > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/01/2013 at 04:18

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An unintentional period piece? Yeah, that could sum up the UG series pretty well. Interestingly said period isn't over here in Malaysia...

TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/01/2013 at 10:03

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I played that for a little bit, until I got to the point that my car needed spinners in order for me to progress. I uninstalled the game that day...

Stef Schrader > Lets Just Drive 12/01/2013 at 23:57

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Hahahahahahha.

There were all kinds of questionable automotive modifications I approved of in high school. 'Twas the era of "The Fast and the Furious" and "Pimp My Ride," yo.

Joseph Shaul > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/02/2013 at 00:46

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The V8 is coming back. At the time of F&F's release, a Civic Si had 160hp; a Mustang, ~225.

Fast forward ten years. The Civic has gained 25% more horsepower, and a tub of lard to go with it. The Mustang has gained far less pudge - and has 190% of its' predecessor's power.

Joseph Shaul > Lets Just Drive 12/02/2013 at 00:47

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There was also - for the time - impressive driveability. Low weight and wishbone suspension made the old Civic a joy to drive bone-stock; a cheap turbo kit would make for an an impressive daily driver for the time.

Joseph Shaul > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/02/2013 at 00:48

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They had scissor doors. We have hellaflush.

At least the scissor doors didn't make the vehicle a road hazard.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > Joseph Shaul 12/02/2013 at 01:01

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But the focus went from a 140hp econo shoebox to being a 260hp tire shredding monster hatch. Even the fiesta can come off the floor with 180hp and a ton of mod support.

Yes, the V8s are still going to be around, but they are an option instead of the de facto rule for the streets. Forced induction really came into its own because of "tuner" culture spreading turbos onto the basic trim levels of entry level cars nowadays.

Joseph Shaul > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 12/03/2013 at 00:31

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Perhaps. Most of the folks I know are just too damn broke to buy anything fun anyway.