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Yeah I'd agree that the mini trucking thing made the modding thing way more popular. And I definately saw more hooked up vw's back in middle and high school (I'm 26)

 
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I would have to say datsuns like the 240z and the 510. I also think the old rx2 and rx3. Maybe even the old euros like austin heales or triumphs.

 
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gti is easily the original i think, as far as economy car tuning. when it comes to flash, the mini trucks brought that, but gti's have been tuned for the track for decades.

if you want to talk about modding cars, i think it can't really be dated... maybe if you look back to the moonshine days in the south, when people would mod their cars to make a quicker transport and to outrun the cops.

 
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omg ur guys r nubs......buick grand national FTW !!!!! GTX baby !!!!

but on the import side....has to go to civic or crx... I remember tons of peeps my age back then waiting crxs and civics. Mainly cuz of cost reasons, and plus it became the "cool" thing, kinda like what drifting and 240s are now.

 
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I agree. I believe it was the "deuce" because there were modified models in the 50's and 60's. They were comepeting against some serious competion back then, and then muscle cars came out where they were tuned to be fast from the factory. Then the 8o's came and cars settled down a bit, but there was a slow rush in the early 90's and that has been fairly constant untill recently, where sportscars and sporty cars all together have been getting pushed aside in favor of more fuel efficient cars.

Anyway, they basically did everything you can do to the first tuner vehicles, they made them faster, painted them, modified them (although modifying steel was a lot harder than slapping on a body kit) and they raced them.

 
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hey man...wat da **** is PHILIOPHICALLY?

 
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32s were hot rods, but it wasnt a "tuner car" per say. it was a hot rod. The epitomy of tuner car came from the first import sports cars before the 70s oil crisis, this by the definition of what tuner meant in those days. wa a car you could modify and race without having to worry much about weight or handleing cus i had it all. The datsun 240z from 1970 http://datsunzclub.com/page4.html#1970. Six cynlinders would like our fourcylinders now, just not compatible with the muscle car craze at the time, but after a while people found out it was just badass.
heres some pics:

http://www.et-studios.com/motorsports/gg042702/27.jpg
http://www.rjcars.com/images/1973_Datsun/1973datsun.jpg
http://www.zparts.com/ads/cars4sale/..._0282rw1bs.jpg
http://www.zparts.com/ads/cars4sale/..._0517_750s.jpg
http://www.zparts.com/ads/cars4sale/...77fairlady.htm

well enjoy.

 
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omg its GNX!!! not GTX get it right. and yea those were nice. i agree with the 70s thing. cause thats when economy cars started flying.