Showing articles & questions for topic
legal modifications

Related articles

How to Lower a Vehicle’s Suspension
One of the most popular car modifications done today is lowering a vehicle’s suspension (https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/how-car-suspension-system-works). A vehicle’s suspension is...
Top Automotive News & Stories: September 10-September 16
This week's top auto news: C8 Corvette spy photos, in-car water dispenser, shakeups at Apple's Project Titan, aggressive new Toyota Camry, and more.
The Guide to Legal Car Modifications for All States
Vehicle Vehicle modifications (https://www.yourmechanic.com/question/what-tips-should-i-follow-about-accessories-and-modifications) can take many forms, from simple modifications such as light window tinting (https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/how-to-tint-a-car-window-by-jason-unrau) to under-vehicle LED lighting (https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/how-to-install-undercar-led-lighting-by-mia-bevacqua) to the more complex frame and suspension modifications. Laws and regulations for vehicle modifications have been set in...
How to Insure a Car With Modifications
There There are a lot of reasons why vehicle owners may make customizations (https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/how-to-customize-a-car) to a car, from getting a custom paint job to reflect a favored color to making internal tweaks to satisfy a need for speed. While cosmetic...
The Guide to Legal Car Modifications in Virginia
ARENA Creative / Shutterstock.com Whether you currently live in Virginia or plan to move to the area, you need to be aware of the regulations that affect the modifications you make on your vehicle. The following information...
The Guide to Legal Car Modifications in Texas
ARENA Creative / Shutterstock.com If you live in Texas or plan to move to the state, you need to know the laws concerning modified vehicles. Below you will find information that will help you ensure that your...
The Guide to Legal Car Modifications in West Virginia
ARENA Creative / Shutterstock.com If you live in West Virginia or plan to do so and you have a modified vehicle, you need to make sure you understand the laws and regulations the state. The following will...
The Guide to Legal Car Modifications in Vermont
ARENA Creative / Shutterstock.com If you have a modified vehicle in Vermont, or you will be moving to the area with one, you will want to know the regulations that you have to follow. The following are...
The Guide to Legal Car Modifications in South Carolina
ARENA Creative / Shutterstock.com Those who live in South Carolina and those who are planning to do so need to understand the laws throughout the state. If you have a modified car or truck, the following laws...
The Guide to Legal Car Modifications in Pennsylvania
ARENA Creative / Shutterstock.com Whether you currently live in Pennsylvania or will be moving there, you need to know the regulations on vehicle modifications. The following information will help you make sure that your modified car or...
How to Make Your Car Perform Better
Car performance includes horsepower, handling, and efficiency. Upgrade your engine, exhaust, and electronics to improve the performance of your car.
How to Install Hood Pins on Your Car
Hood pins are used as a secondary restraint for the hood and are attached by a pin and plate drilled through the hood.
The Guide to Legal Car Modifications in Missouri
ARENA Creative / Shutterstock.com If you live in Missouri and want to modify your vehicle, or if you are moving to the state with a car or truck that you have customized, it is important that you...
The Guide to Legal Car Modifications in Washington
ARENA Creative / Shutterstock.com If you have a modified vehicle and live in Washington or plan to do so in the near future, you need to know the laws that govern the changes that you can make....
The Guide to Legal Car Modifications in Utah
ARENA Creative / Shutterstock.com Whether you live in or plan to move to Utah and you have a modified vehicle, you need to make sure that it conforms to the laws throughout the state. The following information...
The Guide to Legal Car Modifications in Tennessee
ARENA Creative / Shutterstock.com Tennessee has a variety of laws and regulations in place that cover modified vehicles. If you live in the state or will soon move there, you need to be sure that your modified...
The Guide to Legal Car Modifications in Wyoming
ARENA Creative / Shutterstock.com Whether you live in Wyoming or are planning to move there, if you have a modified vehicle you have to make sure that your car or truck will be considered street legal when...
The Guide to Legal Car Modifications in Rhode Island
If If you want to modify your vehicle and you live in Rhode Island or you are moving to the state with a modified vehicle, you need to know the laws and regulations so that you can keep your car...
The Guide to Legal Car Modifications in South Dakota
ARENA Creative / Shutterstock.com If you live in South Dakota or plan to do so in the near future, you need to be aware of the laws that cover vehicle modifications. Understanding and complying with the following...
The Guide to Legal Car Modifications in Oregon
ARENA Creative / Shutterstock.com If you live in Oregon or will do so in the near future, you need to make sure you understand the laws concerning modified vehicles. The following information will help you keep your...

Related questions

Is it legal to have blue lights in license plate?
This is something that may vary from state to state depending on where you live. You will need to check with the local department of transportation or highway patrol in your city or state's jurisdiction. Some states have vehicle inspection...
What kind of modification/performance can I do to my car?
Hello - the best way to keep your Altima running like new is "attentive maintenance (https://www.yourmechanic.com/scheduled-maintenance/nissan-altima/?year=2009&mileage=150000)". Keep fluids (oil, transmission fluid, coolant) topped off and changed at recommended intervals. If your timing chain and associated components (tensioner, idler, chain guides,...
Question about acceleration improvement.
There are zero options to "improve" the acceleration of the vehicle very simply because if such "options" actually existed Toyota would have already implemented them on the assembly line. That is who wouldn't want better acceleration? Toyota selected and tuned...
Packing power. Looking to add more off-road performance.
If you want to add some more power easily to your vehicle I would recommend an intake system or an exhaust system or both. The intake system and the exhaust system are two of the easiest ways to add power...
I am looking to Turbocharge my 2008 Chevy Cobalt with manual transmission.
Hello. It is indeed possible to turbocharge this vehicle. Adding a turbocharger will definitely increase your horsepower. The main thing you need to keep in mind is that this will put added stress on the engine. Due to the mileage...
Debating installation of a leveling kit
The biggest problem people run into with these types of kits is buying the cheapest kit they can find. Not saying that the cheapest may not be good, but it is much more important to find a kit that is...
I want to know what engines would fit my motor mounts properly
Hello. The biggest engine that this vehicle originally came equipped with was the 5.7L V-8. This is the 350 cubic inch version. I am not sure what modifications to your vehicle that would need to be done to make this...
I am looking to make a "sports" , "dub" car with alot of power.
Taking on a project such as this takes lots of time, even for the most experienced mechanic. You will be re-engineering your car and this will require you to learn a lot and make a lot of decisions. There is...
What's the difference between a racing crankshaft and a stock one?
Most of the time it is unnecessary to use a racing crank in a street motor, unless you are planning on building a 700HP+ motor. The racing cranks are stronger, better balanced, more aerodynamic, and also much more expensive. Most...
Can I put an XLR v engine in my 2001 caddilac deville. I want more power out of my big caddy.
The XLR-V motor is in fact a Northstar type engine, so yes it should work, but it will be very expensive. The engine alone will cost quite a bit, and you're gonna need to run the wiring harness for the...
I want to put an exhaust system on my car but it is not street legal, what can I do?
When it comes to this type of exhaust system, there is no workaround that will make it legal. If these exhaust components do not have the air quality resource tag on them, then they cannot legally be used on the...
What's your take on buying a COBB access port? People say what the car runs safer with less knocks vs stock.
Hello - I suspect the answer to this question revolves around whether you are making other modifications to the engine, and how often you drive with boost pressure near the limit. This device will offer more precise control for managing...
Went with bigger tires & installed a high flow filter/muffler
Anytime you make changes to the tire's overall diameter, multiple components are going to be thrown out of calibration including, ABS, speedometer and traction control. There was a time when a professional mechanic could reset ECU's, but recent changes in...
Turbo blow off valve
Hello. The "blow-off-valve" or BOV, is a pressure-release valve designed to prevent over-pressurization of the engine, not the turbocharger itself. While hearing some of the sounds a turbo-charged engine (https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/how-a-modern-engine-works) makes while running through the gears is a most pleasant...
i cut off the roof
If you still have the windshield and install a roll bar then you should not have a problem, but if I were you I would check with local ordnance to make sure it is legal.
Outside of an engine rebuild, what can I do to get high-end horsepower rather than the low-end torque inherent with american cars?
Hello. Due to the design of the engine, there's not much that can be done, aside from completely rebuilding the engine, to achieve high rpm power. Typically V layout engines are designed to provide low end torque and a smooth...
Does my 02 civic have shocks or struts or both?
Hey there, thanks for writing in about your 2002 Honda Civic. Your car has struts all the way around. There are pros and cons to lowering your vehicle (https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/what-are-the-dangers-of-lowering-my-car). Make sure that you consider everything before moving forward with this...
Power capabilities
Hi there. The engine will not start to break down or lose power at that point. The factory engine does not make that much power on its own so I have to assume you are talking about aftermarket power modifications....
Engine modification
Sounds like a nice build. Assuming you used the 305 crank, the engine will still be called a 5.0 or 305, since that is the cubic inch displacement of the engine.

Need a mechanic?

Our certified mobile mechanics make house calls in over 700 U.S. cities. Fast, free online quotes for your car repair.

Get a quote