Jalopnik: Pimp

Gangster Whitewalls And Zebra Skin: Great Deal On Pimpish '84 Cadillac

Murilee Martin — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 08:00:00 EDT

It's probably the word "pimpish" in the description, coupled with the overwhelmingly tasteful purple velvet and zebra skin interior, that makes us want to test the reserve price on this '84 Cadillac. You seldom see pimped-out Reagan Era Cadillacs, and this one would be right at home in the Jalopnik Motor Pool (we'd park it right next to the primered 2nd-gen Camaro). Archetypal! [eBay Motors]

Are Pistonheads Pimps?

Jonny Lieberman — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 12:00:00 EDT

We're not quite sure how this turned into "Pimp Week," but we're not going to dig too deeply. Today's questions comes strait outta ~~Compton~~ yesterday's QOTD comments. Reader Mehugtree asks the following:

Isn't it pimping to spend 10K more on a car than you need to? Do you really need that BMW over that Camry? They both do roughly the same thing, but the BMW is definitely more of a status symbol. You may claim "oh, no, the performance is sooo much better," but really, do you need that performance? Isn't it pimping to add something you don't need just because YOU think it's cool? Is giving 10K to BMW to pimp inherently [sic] better than spending whatever amount and doing it your own way?

While we're not in a agreement, we do understand his point. Performance cars, when mostly used for commuting to 7/11, are as ostentatious as a purple Escalade with gold rims. But, as Richard Belzer's buddy Ice T once said, pimping ain't easy but somebody's got to do it. You?

Why Do People Pimp Their Rides?

Jonny Lieberman — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 11:30:00 EDT

Today's question hearkens back to Philosophy Week, but with a slight comedic twist. Seriously, yesterday's QOTD proved that we've all seen pimped rides (or at least what in the owner's mind qualified as "pimped") and with very few exceptions they're all pathetic. How many times have you seen a base model 300C with its anemic 2.7-liter V6 barely able to rotate the 22" dubs and sporting at least $5,000 worth of bling? Why not initially spend all that money on a HEMI? Or better yet, the SRT8 6.1-Liter HEMI? Who chooses looks over power? Obviously, these are the kind of thoughts that kept me out of the really good schools. But still, what possesses a person to do these terrible things?

The Worst Pimp Job You've Ever Seen?

Jonny Lieberman — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 11:30:00 EDT

We're going to let commenter JayP71 handle this one:

I was driving through my neighborhood last night and noted my landmark for a turn onto the street that crosses mine. This landmark is a early '90s Caddy. The vinyl roof is long gone. The creative owner has replaced it with black sandpaper-like friction tape. He was apparently so proud of how this came out that he carried the theme down to the trunk. In addition this car as the 'Gold' kit, performed with house paint and coarse brushes. Rusty too wide and undersized tires finish out the look of this fine machine. Which brings up the thought: What is the worst pimp out job you've seen inflicted on a helpless automobile?

Living where we've lived (all over the Eastside of Los Angeles) we've seen so many horrid pimp-misfires that nothing specific is coming to mind. However, we did know a guy who was serious about getting hydraulics for his 1984 Dodge Colt. You? And the above is the best pimp job, in case you were curious.

[Jalopnik's Question of the Day is straight macking. And all about the Benjamins. Have a question you need answered? Email suggestions to tips@jalopnik.com with the subject line "QOTD"]