Body Kits: Do Your Body Good

They say milk does a body good, and it probably does, but they may not be talking about the same bodies that brought you here to Overlander. “They” are talking about human bodies and the benefits that said bodies can get from ingesting heavy doses of bovine mammary emissions—mmmm! We, of course, are talking about auto bodies. And what does an auto body good? Custom body kits, that’s what. Besides, most of us here at Overlander adhere to that old rule of thumb that warns “never drink anything opaque.” So, if you’re here to learn about mammalian mammary juice, wrong site. If you’re here to learn about bumper covers, hoods and fenders—welcome aboard!

Custom body kits are the easiest way to transform your ride’s exterior. It doesn’t matter if you’ve got a 94 horsepower weakling wheezing away under the hood, you can make that thing look like it’s going 200 mph with the simple addition of some well-placed body parts. The most common accessory used to add some contour to your car is the spoiler. Readily available and fairly easy to install, spoilers and wings come in a wide variety of styles and materials. Technically designed to add downforce, most spoilers are non-functional and really only add style force.

Next are hoods. Again, hoods are an easy addition for any do-it-yourselfer and there are a ton of companies to choose from. Some hoods are crafted fromfiberglass, plastic or carbon fiber and designed to reduce weight. But some hoods, like ram air hoods, provide some performance functionality as well. They’re equipped with a scoop that feeds air into a specially designed air intake so the motor is primed with power-producing oxygen. Once installed, an aftermarket hood may look a bit out of place, but most body kit manufacturers offer matching fenders to complete the custom look.

Beyond these essentials, there are a few other odds and ends you may want to consider when outfitting your ride. Rocker panels can give your vehicle a lowered “street” look without the hassle of messing with suspension. Window louvers and side view mirrors are a great addition to bolster the slippery streamlined look that’s popular with customizers these days. And lastly, you may want to get a custom cup holder to keep that big frothy mug of milk from spilling all over your interiors.