Do you have a project car that you’re looking to turn into a sleeper car? For those who are not familiar with the term ‘sleeper car,’ this simply refers to a car that looks like your everyday car but which has been modified to have excellent performance. That means a sleeper car can provide you with a more thrilling driving experience. The big question is, how do you transform a normal-looking car into a beast on the road? This is where a custom car shop comes in. In this article, we give you more insights into how a custom car shop can turn your project car into the perfect sleeper.
Increased Horsepower
For starters, a custom car shop can transform your project car and add more fun to its driving experience by increasing horsepower, which is the total power output of the engine. Increased horsepower is one of the top features that all the best sleeper cars should have. Remember, the whole point of having a sleeper car is to turn a car that looks a little lackluster on the outside but can knock the socks off whoever is watching when you hit the accelerator. So, when you take your project to a custom car shop, they will start with performance car tuning upgrades that boost horsepower.
If you’re wondering how this is done, there are several ways to add more horsepower to what is essentially an ordinary car. For instance, an easy modification to the car’s engine is a cold air intake, which boosts the amount of air sent to the engine and allows the air filter to flow more air. There are also exhaust modifications like high flow catalytic converters and long tube headers that increase your engine’s horsepower. Similarly, modifications like upgrading the performance chip, installing better performance cylinder heads, and reducing the weight of your vehicle can all increase your vehicle’s engine horsepower.
Better Torque
A reputable and experienced custom car shop can also make modifications that are designed to increase your vehicle’s torque. Having a high torque is important if you want a strong car that can take off super quickly. If you’re not familiar with what torque means, this is the force that your car has when it’s taking off. Generally, the greater the torque on your car, the faster the acceleration. If you’re not an experienced petrol or diesel engine mechanic, it’s better to leave it to the professionals at the custom car shop. This is especially true if you plan on making significant modifications that yield better results.
Your custom car shop may recommend several ways to add more torque. One common method is to add exhaust headers with wider valves to streamline the process of bringing air in and exhausting it out. By upgrading the valves, this allows for better ventilation of the cylinders. Another way to improve the torque and performance of the vehicle is to add a turbocharger. Remember, improving torque is all about increasing the efficiency of air intake and fuel combustion within the engine’s cylinders. Installing a turbocharger is a great way to make your vehicle’s engine more responsive, and it also has the added benefit of boosting horsepower. There are also many small modifications that add up to more torque for your vehicle. The list includes installing high-quality spark plugs, ignition leads, ignition coil packs, and even replacing the old oil with better quality oil.
Sport-Tuned Suspension
There’s a huge difference between a sport-tuned suspension and a regular suspension. Most car enthusiasts know that suspension modifications are an integral part of building a powerful sleeper. In the first place, suspension exists to improve the way your car handles. Your vehicle’s suspension is typically made up of springs, shocks, and struts. The great news is that these can be modified to give you a sport-tuned suspension that will provide superb steering ability and excellent handling. Overall, this will go a long way towards giving you a more exciting and comfortable driving experience even when you’re navigating through poor road conditions.
A regular suspension, which is what your project car currently has, is only suitable for normal driving conditions. Your custom car shop will develop your suspension so that your car handles better when driving around corners and taking turns. Often, this is achieved by lowering the center of gravity to give you more control when you’re behind the wheel. Instead of a bumpy ride, sport-tuned suspension gives you a better ability to drive at high speeds and race down the highway as smoothly as possible. Your custom car shop will be familiar with all the custom car modifications needed for you to do more fun driving vs. a boring, regular commute.
Great Set of Wheels
A custom car shop will also help you with the best sleeper wheel setup. To begin with, forget about adding giant wheels to make your car stand out more. Sleeper cars are not designed to stand out at all, and they certainly don’t need a set of giant wheels to have great performance. Instead of 20-inch wheels with huge rims, it’s better to go with high-quality wheels that give your vehicle a low profile while boosting comfort while reducing the risk of flat tires. The right set of wheels shouldn’t draw a lot of attention to your car, but they can still have some subtle style. Instead of gleaming silver wheels or fluorescent green wheels, you’re better off choosing high-quality wheels that allow you to cruise down the road as smoothly and as comfortably as possible. If you’re not sure what sort of wheels are right for your sleeper car, you can rely on the expertise of custom car professionals. As mentioned, they probably have enough extensive experience to create the best sleeper wheel setup that suits your preferences.
Balanced Ride and Handling
There’s an art form to building a true sleeper. The trick is to avoid ending up with a car that’s a dead giveaway at first sight. An authentic and genuine sleeper is a special breed that isn’t as ostentatious as the high-end sports cars that you normally see. Instead, a sleeper car prefers to keep things low-key, but underneath its extremely ordinary exterior, it packs a serious punch. When you work with custom car shop professionals that know what they’re doing, this is an easy goal to achieve. They will focus on enhancing your vehicle’s handling without leaving cues to onlookers about what an awesome and balanced ride the car can provide.
All in one, there are several approaches that your custom car shop can take to ensure your vehicle ends up with superior handling and offers a balanced driving experience. Some professionals might suggest putting a V8 engine under the hood. The V8 engine is notorious for providing optimized balance, impressive power, and overall sophisticated performance. Alternatively, if your car isn’t a great fit for a V8 engine, you can add a turbo to a modern engine to get similar results. The process might require a bit of know-how, but thankfully, custom car professionals are more than up for the job. If you’re not happy about the downsides of turbochargers, such as turbo lag, a better option might be to get your vehicle supercharged.
The wonderful thing about superchargers is that they provide a smoother power delivery that makes your car handle better and eliminates those jerky movements. Additionally, superchargers ensure reliable performance, which is all great news for your car’s overall performance. Whether you opt to install a turbocharger or supercharger, you might also want to upgrade your intercooler to ensure that the entire engine system remains relatively cool. It’s an effective way of preventing your modifications from reducing the car’s efficiency and longevity. One advantage of taking your project car is that it helps you avoid amateur modifications that are not as useful as you might think. For instance, installing a nitrous oxide system is generally not a good idea because of the potential to blow out your engine and the fact that it may not be legal in your area. Instead, your custom car shop will utilize other safer and more compliant ways to add extra horsepower.
Modern Electronics
Today, building a sleeper car is one of the most exciting projects to work on. That’s because automotive technology has improved by leaps and bounds, and it’s now easier than ever to increase power while improving efficiency, especially if you focus on upgrading the vehicle’s electrical wiring and installing custom automotive lighting. If you’re a car enthusiast that’s fascinated with modern automotive electronics and wants to move beyond the caveman technology of older cars, you can achieve great results by swapping in a complete modern engine with advanced electronics. Your custom car shop can turn your project car into a sleeper by leveraging the power of advanced automotive technology.
High-Performing Components
Truth be told, building a sleeper all boils down to upgrading your car’s existing components. The goal is to replace these components with high-quality and high-performing components that are sourced only from the most reputable dealers. The good thing about building a sleeper is that you don’t need an auto body shop to work extensively on the exterior. Remember, the whole idea behind a sleeper car is to have a vehicle that you might think doesn’t deserve a second glance. A sleeper car should have an unassuming look that allows it to blend in with other normal-looking cars. So, unless the car’s exterior is badly damaged, there’s no need to look for a certified body shop.
What you need is a custom car shop that will focus more attention on upgrading what’s beneath the hood. They will source various high-quality components on your behalf to improve handling and ride quality. For instance, they will install high-quality coilovers, upgrade your oil pan, turbocharge your engine, install a cold-air intake, add pressure-cast wheels, plus any other modifications that will get you the results you want. If you’re on a budget, you can still manage to get a sleeper with high-performing components if you look for recycled automotive parts.
Benefits of Hiring a Custom Car Shop
Looking for a custom car shop to turn your project car into a sleeper? You are on the right track because if you want the best modification to your project car, then it’s best to leave it to the professionals. While it’s true that there are many easy DIY modifications you can make, the truth is you’re unlikely to get the same great results you can expect from seasoned professionals. The first thing that you must do is to look for a custom car shop that specializes in building sleepers. Keep in mind that the custom car industry is pretty big, and each shop will have its own specific area of expertise.
Some specialize in offering BMW services and custom modifications, while others specialize in paintless dent repair or auto body modifications. The important thing is to communicate with the custom car shop about your intentions to create a sleeper, so they know which specific vehicle alterations to make. If you find a custom car with experience in the auto industry and superior technical skills, you can rely on the professionals to dedicate huge amounts of time to developing a one-of-a-kind sleeper car. Overall, they’ll know how to combine the different components of your vehicle to ensure optimum performance and exceptional ride characteristics.
A sleeper car is supposed to provide plenty of pleasant surprises each time you get behind the wheel. From the outside, your sleeper car will look quite unimpressive. But once you hit the road, experiencing the joys of its considerable and high-level performance will be the highlight of your day. If you already have the right project car, then you can benefit by enlisting the help of custom car shop professionals. Now that you know how a custom car shop can turn your project into a sleeper, all you have to do is find the right professionals to get started.
