Vladimir wrote one of my favorite Speedhunters movies of all time last year.
It’s all in the details: experimenting with macro car photography was a relief for me. It was not only fun to read how a colleague approached our world from a different perspective, but it also resulted in beautiful photography.
Click the link above and dive into that article – it offers a change of pace from regular programming. However, if you’re feeling lazy, let me summarize: A macro lens allows you to get incredibly close to your subject and take highly detailed photos with a wide, flat plane of focus. Think about that crunchy one National Geographic images of tiny spiders in the jungle – yes, macro lenses.
Unfortunately, Vlad’s article disappeared from my memory after a year and a half of daily car content – until recently, when I got my own macro lens. To be honest, I bought it mainly to scan my 35mm film photos.
As I was driving my BMW 740i, a story idea popped into my head. Over the years and countless heat cycles, the interior wood trim on this model can crack – which is exactly what happened to mine. There is a small crack in the gear lever that I can feel, but I love it as a sign of my car’s age. Let’s call it ‘patina lite.’
Other little details I love include the ‘BMW Individual’ badge that I recessed into the E39 sports steering wheel myself. My car is one Individual, so no accusations of up-badging here, but the badge is from a newer model.
And then there are the titanium wheel bolts on my 19-inch AC Schnitzer Type II Racing wheels. Not only do they look great, but I also made sure that each bolt is aligned, facing north, towards the center of the wheels. Call it compulsive behavior if you like – my spare tire in the trunk is the same.
My lens purchase reminded me of Vlad’s story. So when I was invited to a small end-of-season gathering, I decided to explore other people’s favorite details.
Dan and his B16 swapped Mk1 VW Golf
“It is incredibly rare to find a 40 year old car with the original dealer plates,” says Daan. “I think it shows how original – apart from the engine and a few parts – the car is. It seems to be a detail that Mk1 enthusiasts point out when they look at the car.”
“The interior is completely original, so finding seats was the most difficult part of this build. I was about to give in and redecorate some more modern chairs when these showed up on Facebook Marketplace. They hit the nail on the head, Cobra SL5s from the mid-80s.”
“I bought the Golf after the death of the original owner’s wife,” And remembers. “Shortly before his death he reversed into the garage and caused that dent. He bought a new light and just slapped it over the damage! It’s a story related to the car, and I got it from that same garage. It feels wrong to erase it from his history.”
Brayden and his static Lexus GS
“Apparently there are 24 pairs of these fantastic eyebrows in existence,” says Brayden. “I got these before I bought the car even though I already knew what they were. They were auctioned at a demolition company in Japan, on a completely black GS. The driver’s side was broken and needed to be repaired.”
“My catalytic converters were stolen on 2/22/22. Of course I was smoking – the car sounded like a bloody tank! I only had coilovers and LS430 wheels at the time. I did have a full Artisan Spirits body kit that I wanted to install, but the exhaust ports were way too big for the factory exhaust. So instead of my original plan of getting rear boxes with dual tips, I went all out and bought a full 2.25-inch stainless steel exhaust system with rear exhaust. Tucked higher than factory, sports cats, X-pipe and high-flow rear lockers with dual 4-inch tips.
“One day a friend mentioned that he knew this guy who made some one-off switch buttons inspired by the graveyard ring with chrome hearts. I said, ‘count me in’ and then completely forgot about it. A few months later Ryan texted me that the shift knobs were done and he would have them transferred. What a surprise! The best part is that Ryan and I have the pair. I am happy that I can match with my brother.”
Ghaleb and his BMW E36 drift car
“What are your favorite details,” I asked Ghaleb. “First of all, I like wood in cars, it has a kind of ‘gentleman racer’ aesthetic. Two, when I first started drifting there was a list of ‘cheap things’ you could do to get started: buy an E36 for £500, E34 engine mounts and an M50 manifold for £20.
“If you want a handlebar you can get a used 370mm wooden Nardi from an MX-5 V-Spec for £60. I learned to float on one of those wheels, and ever since I floated best on a large wooden wheel. Finding a matching wooden gear knob is just part of that.”
“The yellow headlights are similar as you used to find them on old-school Le Mans race cars and old French performance cars. Not to mention Japanese cars with yellow fog lights! I like the presence of yellow lights on a car at night. The yellow lights on my Boston Green car remind me of the old Lotus F1 color schemes.”
“The GT Class II spoiler is another detail. I love the E36 M3 GT and I want mine to be as close to it as possible. I also love Nissan S14s, and the Kouki had a similar center spoiler. But when I had an S14, they always eluded me!”
No matter your taste in customizations and style, there are bound to be details on your car that are special to you. They don’t have to be upgrades or rarities; Like the cracks in my woodwork, they can be imperfections that you love.
I’d love to hear the details that make your car special to you. Share them in the comments!
Mario Christou
Instagram: mcwpn, mariochristou.world
mariochristou.world