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Car mods: Can you remember the age of 'spinners'?

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<i>Image: Flickr</i>
<i>Image: Flickr</i>

If you talk about spinners in South Africa these days, it means the burning of tyres by driving a vehicle in a certain way  - the likes of what Stacey Lee May, Eddie Rasta and Shane Green Junior are good at doing.

But, there was a time when the meaning of a spinner was something entirely different.

The spinning wheel

You might remember the TV show Pimp My Ride on MTV for its outrageous creations done on cars; one of the popular parts fitted on these vehicles were wheel spinners.


Did you have spinners fitted to your vehicle once upon a time? Email us.

This was essentially two wheels, the original alloy wheel and then a secondary one made up polished chrome plastic that spins as the car moves and when it comes to a stop, it gives the impression that the wheels are still spinning even though the car is stationary.

Things like music videos of the 'noughties' (2000s) and the Playstation 2 game Need For Speed Underground 2 featured spinner modifications which people took a liking to, surprisingly.

Many petrolheads classify this type of modification as a 'ricer' form of tuning. According to the online slang dictionary: 'A distastefully modified vehicle that is usually recognised by gratuitous display of the colour yellow, performance parts stickers, large non-functional rear spoiler, extreme negative camber, 'fart tip', and lack of, or faux engine modifications'.

WATCH | This 10-year-old spinner from Atlantis burns tyres like it's nobody's business

Just like stickerbombs and roof scoops used to be a trend locally, so too were these spinners. If you look hard enough, you might still find a Toyota Hilux or Ford Bantam bakkie with a set of spinners fitted.

End of an 'era'

Many people won't even notice, or miss the fact that spinners are no longer a desired car accessory. It's one of those 'good riddance and I hope you never return' sort of things.

Places like DUB Wheels still sells them because they are still popular with the lowrider culture in the United States.

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