A special ride: how a car enthusiast drives with passion. (Automotive).

They can have any color they want, as long as it's black," was Henry T. Ford's response to requests for color variety in his Model T. Today, thanks to the growth of the automotive aftermarket industry, color is the least of the options available to car enthusiasts. Total automotive aftermarket retail, including accessories, performance parts, and custom wheels, grew into a $26 billion industry in 2001. That's up 46% from 1996, says Jim Spoonhower, vice president of market research with aftermarket trade group Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA). Aftermarket spending for the restoration of antique cars in 2001 was just over $1 billion retail, up 32% from 1996.

Why the growth? There are a number of reasons, says Spoonhower. "First of all, most vehicles today look very much alike, so customizing your vehicle differentiates it from 300,000 others like it," he explains. "Another [reason] is, as consumers, we are very busy. If we're spending a lot of time in our vehicle, whether it's for commuting or it's recreational, we want it to be comfortable, enjoyable; we want it to really reflect our tastes."

Classics

1955 Ford Thunderbird 

Isaac Lester Jr. Fort Lee, NJ

Growing up in the 1960s, I always wanted a muscle car," says Isaac Lester Jr., president of Education Highway, a publication that encourages college-bound urban youth to attend HBCUs.

A couple decades later, Lester would have his chance when he met a co-worker who shared his passion. "He owned a 1967 Galaxy 500 but wouldn't sell it to me," Lester, 48, recalls. "Then one day he got drunk and tore the driver's side up." Lester purchased the car for $750 and paid $1,500 to restore it. He still owns the Galaxy 500 today and plans to keep it.

Since his initial purchase, Lester has bought and restored multiple vehicles, including a 1969 Carmengia drop top convertible, a 1964 Lincoln Continental drop top with suicide doors, a 1962 Thunderbird, and a 1955 Thunderbird. Lester handles most of the restoration process himself, spending upwards of $10,000, and he will usually sell the restored vehicle after a few years. "I fixed up and resold the 1962 Thunderbird from the bullet era for $35,000. I bought it for around $350," he says. Lester still owns the 1955 Thunderbird he purchased for $20,000 but eventually intends to sell it to help put his daughter through college. "If you get a guy who's a millionaire, who got his first kiss from a girl in a 1955 Thunderbird, he will spend whatever you ask," Lester says. "It's a great investment."

Lester has also registered his vehicles with production companies that sometimes place antique cars in movies or commercials. "They will pay maybe $400 per day to park it on the street, and $2,000 per day if it is driven," he says. His Galaxy 500 has been in three commercials, including one for Frito-Lay.

Restoring a Classic

Lester looks for cars and parts on the Internet and in the car magazine Hemmings Motor News. He prefers cars in the Fore-Lincoln family because they're easier to work on and their parts are easier to find. If you do the restoration yourself, you can save a lot, but costs can still run into the thousands. "The horn for the 1955 Thunderbird was $110," he says. But according to the Guild of Automotive Restorers Inc., replacing the brakes on a Rolls Royce Silver Shadow could cost upwards of $8,000.

Have patience, he advises Restoring a classic can take up to five years depending on the demands on the garage and costs.

Performance

2002 Porsche 996 Carrera

Michael P. Harvey Fullerton, CA

Michael P. Harvey's first ride in a Porsche was in 1978, sitting next to late NFL great Walter Payton. "I owned sporting goods stores at the time and we were friends, and that [ride] was my first introduction," he says. In 1999 Harvey purchased a Porsche, and today he is driving his fourth--a 2002 twin turbo 996 Carrera, customized for performance, comfort, and style.

Harvey, CEO of Russell Simmons Beverage Company--which includes Biosport vitamin water; Bella Caffe, cold-brewed coffee; and Defcon3, an energy drink--is no stranger to "tricking out" his ride. "Of the 40 cars I have owned, I've probably customized five," he says. "It adds a little flavor to the car." His flavor-filled Carrera features a suede interior roof, custom leather seats, special color-coordinated alloy rims, and a seal gray custom color exterior. It also features a racing suspension package with just under 500 horsepower. Harvey has yet to test the Carrera's power competitively, but the enhanced suspension provides optimum comfort during everyday driving.

Harvey purchased the Porsche in December 2001 for $135,000. The enhancement details, done by the up-scale Los Angeles-based auto customization shop 310 Motoring, cost $18,000. This was the first time Harvey had ever employed 310 Motoring for customization services, and he was so impressed with the end product that he plans to entrust his next Porsche to 310 Motoring CEO Marc Laidler's care. "I will keep this Porsche for maybe two or three more years until the body changes on the turbos," says Harvey. "Then, when I get one, I will look to Marc to do the customization."

Custom Made

"I think rims and tires change the whole aesthetic of a car," says Marc E. Laidler, CEO of 310 Motoring Automotive Services (www.310motoring.com). Most 310 customers seek out full servicing for their vehicles, with the average client spending anywhere from $300 for a titanium window tint to more than $32,000 for full performance and aesthetic customization. "Make sure the car rides as if it came from the factor, no matter what aftermarket accessories are added," says Laidler. He also recommends having a professional customize your car because one crossed wire will void your car's entire warranty.