Unconventional Upgrades for Cars, Trucks and More

Whether you own a stock car that you race on the track or a 5-seater passenger car that you use to drop the kids off at school, you don't have to settle for your vehicle just the way it is. Many drivers upgrade their cars to improve their performance, speed, efficiency, style, and many other attributes that are important to them. But while rim replacements and new tail light installations are commonplace and familiar, there are some types of car upgrades that are reserved for the truly adventurous. If you're looking for fun upgrades that are outside the mainstream, consider some of these more unconventional vehicular upgrade options.

Train Horns

Outside of that close radius surrounding railroad tracks, you probably haven't heard train horns unless you've been on YouTube quite a bit and like to watch those prank videos. Train horns are aftermarket add-ons that allow drivers to reproduce the loudness, intensity, and sound of an authentic train horn blast. This add-on has no actual on-road function, and this horn can't be used as a replacement for a regular car horn. It's only purpose is for your personal amusement, and many drivers use them to scare and startle passersby in parking lots and the like. You never want to use an aftermarket train horn on an actual roadway, as it's far too loud and it could make people react to a potential danger that doesn’t exist. But if you want to play a prank on a friend, just look up train horn videos online and you'll see what all the fuss is about.

Vertical Doors

Most drivers don't think twice about their car doors, and probably for good reason. They're only used to get into the car, and to get right back out of it. For those with creative tastes, however, car doors can become valuable appearance assets instead of simple functional components. Vertical doors on a car create an air of sophistication, class, and luxury that conventional car doors simply can't copy. It's probably why you've only seen vertical doors on the highest-end sports cars. But with some upgrading, even a Ford Taurus or a Chevy Malibu can be equipped with sleek, stylish vertical doors.

Undercar Lighting

Just as with train horns, undercar lights vary in legality from region to region, so you'll have to check with local and state authorities before deciding if you can use them on your own vehicle. Undercar lights are excellent ways to draw attention to the underside of a vehicle, and to give a car a more complete look and outline at night when the lights are out. Instead of just being floating headlights in the dark, your car becomes a glowing beast in the darkness, with LEDs or other neon lights illuminating the surface of the road as well as the lower part of your car. Just like any of these other unconventional car parts, they're not for everyone, but they certainly do make for quite the show.