10 Can’t-Miss Gift Ideas for Auto Enthusiasts

The holidays are just around the corner, and shoppers are scrambling to find just the right gifts for friends and family. If you have an auto enthusiast in your life, finding just the right gift can be a challenge, as there are so many after-market auto products out there to choose from. The way to a gearhead’s heart is through his car, however, and with a little research you can find just the right parts or car accessories to bring a smile to your auto enthusiast’s heart.

For folks searching for the best automotive gifts for men, consider these options:

Performance parts – Performance parts replace factory standard components on a vehicle to give it increased power. There are a variety of parts that can be swapped out with factory parts to enhance an automobile’s power, handling and fuel economy.

For example, air filters, intake kits, and exhausts alter a vehicle’s performance by giving it better access to air and a less restrictive way to force it out, allowing an automobile to produce more horsepower and torque. Some add-ons such as special air filters can even help an automobile get enhanced fuel economy.

Auto enthusiasts who are into racing or modifying their vehicles to get maximum performance will likely be very excited about getting a great performance part for their automobile. Selecting the right performance part for a vehicle can be difficult even for people knowledgeable about automobiles, so be sure to thoroughly research the vehicle and the part before making a selection.

New intake manifolds – Intake manifolds are great products that can drastically improve the power produced by your vehicle. Intake manifolds regulate the air/fuel mixture supplied to each cylinder of your vehicle’s engine and also serve as the mount for carburetors or fuel injectors.

Edelbrock Intake Manifolds are very popular among the auto enthusiast set. Edelbrock has 70 years of experience in manufacturing top quality performance parts, and the company’s manifolds include single-plane, dual-plane, Tunnel Ram, three-deuce, and dual-quad models.

Holley carburetors – If you’re looking for a performance carburetor, Holley Performance is the brand you need. The Holley name is legendary in the racing world, and Holley carburetors also work well in street racers, competition vehicles, and project vehicles that your favorite auto enthusiast may be restoring.

AutoMeter gauges – Gauges relay important information about fuel, RPMs, speed, and more. They’re more than just an instrument, however; they’re also an important part of the interior aesthetics of a vehicle. Getting just the right gauge can help you achieve the modern or vintage look auto enthusiasts want for their automobiles. AutoMeter has made quality, durable gauges since 1957 and is a well-respected brand name in the industry. Your favorite gearhead will be nothing but smiles if you give him the right AutoMeter gauge for Christmas.

B&M Transmissions – Aftermarket transmissions can have a big impact on the performance of a vehicle, creating a smoother ride and improving fuel efficiency, among other benefits. B&M manufactures transmissions, shifters, torque converters, and related products that help automotive enthusiasts get the very most from their automobiles.

Transmissions are a big ticket item for automobiles, so, when shopping for a new one, it’s important to make the right selection and purchase a transmission made by a reliable manufacturer of quality parts. B&M fits the bill, having been in the transmission business for nearly 60 years.

K&N air intake kits – Air intake kits provide lots of benefits to vehicles outfitted with them, including increased acceleration, better fuel economy, improved filtering of dirt and debris, and that throaty, rumbling sound that car aficionados love.

In general, you can stick with your stock air intake that came with your vehicle. These intakes typically have multiple bends to muffle engine noise and use paper filters. Cold air intakes are an aftermarket intake you can buy that pull cool air from the outside into the vehicle’s engine. Cold air intakes have fewer bends and also have a long duct with access to cool air. Cooler air flowing through the engine means that your engine requires less heat and fuel for combustion.

Short ram air intakes pull in high volumes of heated air from within the engine to aid in combustion. To compensate for the heat of the air they pull in, short ram intakes pull in higher volumes of air than cold air intakes.

K&N is a respected manufacturer of air intake kits, and its K&N 77 Series of high flow performance metal intake kits for pickups and SUVs are well regarded. A new K&N air intake kit may be just the right gift for the auto enthusiast in your life.

COMP Cams – Introducing higher performance camshafts into a vehicle can improve engine performance. High cams have greater duration and lift, allowing more air and fuel to flow into the combustion chamber and producing more power.

COMP Cams is a respected name in valve train technology, having been in the business for more than 35 years. COMP Cams has an excellent track record in customer support, providing free-of-charge technical assistance to buyers of their products.

Lokar Shifters & related products – Auto enthusiasts love form just as much as they love function, which makes Lokar shifters, throttle cables, dipsticks, and other car accessories great automotive gifts for men. Lokar crafts beautiful, durable components that look great in restored or souped-up automobiles. With a wide range of products and styles to choose from, Lokar is a great manufacturer of auto gear.

MSD ignition controls – For folks searching for quality aftermarket ignition control boxes and related equipment, MSD is the product line you want to check first. MSD made the first multiple-spark discharge ignition control box and has been a leading innovator in performance ignition technology for almost 50 years.

MSD’s ignition controls, distributors, ignition coils, and other products are made specifically to work in performance vehicles, but the company has products that are great for daily driver vehicles, too.

Engine machine shop – Not all auto enthusiasts have the tools or know-how to do their own modification work, and some jobs require professional training and specialized equipment. A gift card for machine shop services can be a thoughtful present for the holidays. In machine shops, qualified mechanics can help with precision automotive work, such as boring, honing, decking, and balancing.

According to Statista, the automotive aftermarket parts market had about $137 billion in sales in 2014. Like the broader automotive industry, the aftermarket industry has bounced back from the economic downturn of the late 00s and early 10s.  Auto owners love improving their vehicles and pushing their performance to the limit, and the strong growth in the aftermarket segment reflects this enthusiasm.

Whether you’re looking for a Holley carburetor, Lokar shifter, or K&N intake kit, Team C Performance has you covered. Team C Performance has served the greater Los Angeles area for nearly 40 years, selling quality performance parts and other car accessories. The company has a wide range of inventory totaling more than 1,500 products and will search and find parts outside of inventory for customers.

Team C Performance Center has an extremely well-trained and knowledgeable staff that enjoys talking cars with customers and helping them find just the right part or accessory. In addition to the parts and accessories shop, Team C Performance Center operates a top-notch machine shop offering engine block work, rod-resizing, engine rebuilds, and much more.

For parts and service you can depend upon, visit Team C Performance Center today or browse the company’s website for a comprehensive catalog of products.