I concur with '64Nova...
The car hobby is all about doing it yourself. The auto manufacturers will sell a fast car to anyone with money; no talent test required. Just ask what parts of the car your buddy designed or rebuilt himself. A disparaging "Oh... so it's factory." ending with an amused chuckle seems to be the best way to handle the non-participants.
The person with the courage and determination who tries something different by his or herself always warrants more respect, even if the results aren't as good as our imaginations suggest, than the person who brags about factory offerings or pays someone else to make modifications. One can only laugh at people who call themselves "hot rodders" but buy crate engines, for example.
Take pride in your busted knuckles and mechanical daring.
