I’ve always loved cars—reading about them, watching builds online, admiring them on the streets—but until recently, I’d never actually worked on one myself. That all changed when a broken side mirror pushed me to get hands-on for the first time. What started as a simple fix turned into a deep dive into DIY car mods, and before I knew it, I was designing parts, printing adapters, and upgrading my intake system.
One day, the side mirror on my car broke. Nothing major, but annoying enough. I took it to a local workshop, only to be told they couldn’t get the part I needed. That didn’t sit right with me, so I did a bit of digging. Turns out, the side mirror shared a design with several other models. A bit of internet sleuthing later, I found the right part, ordered it, and installed it myself.
That little fix sent me down a rabbit hole. I started wondering: What else could I work on?
Living in Singapore, there are strict regulations around vehicle modifications—most changes require explicit approval. But one area that’s relatively free to tinker with is the intake system. After some research, I decided to replace the stock airbox on my Chevrolet Cruze with a K&N Apollo Closed Intake System. Not only is it a straightforward swap, but it’s also a good intro into the world of performance mods.
Of course, I couldn’t stop there. I wanted to connect the K&N to the stock intake resonator for a cleaner install. That’s where the community came in—specifically, WhiteCruzeGuy on cruzetalk.com, who had shared precise measurements for a custom adapter. Using his specs, I had a piece 3D printed locally at Think, Design, Make.
They recommended PC/ABS for its strength and heat resistance. The final print came out beautifully—solid, clean, and a perfect fit.
To complete the setup, I ordered a 76mm air duct from Taobao with a socket that was compatible with my existing MAF sensor. Once everything arrived, I spent a solid 2–3 hours piecing it all together (most of that time was me trying to fit everything neatly into the tight engine bay).
The end result? A cleaner intake system, a subtle change in engine tone, and a huge sense of accomplishment. It was a great little project—and I’m already thinking about what to tackle next.