Body kits for cars have a long history, but they started with the world of ground effects. Ground effects for a car involve many different parts of the vehicle, but the underside and bottom half of the car are the primary concentration. Race cars were the first to receive this treatment for the simple goal of lowering a car to improve race time through aerodynamics. By forcing the car downward, the air is forced to go up and over the car in a more efficient manner.

The first car aerodynamicist was Jim Hall. He was a pioneer in applying this science to cars. Previously, the technology had been exclusive for planes. Hall's project to revolutionize the aerodynamics of cars started in 1961, but it wasn’t until 1970 that he was able to take his concepts and develop a car that could actually compete, although not win, at many Formula One races. Hall had put as little room between the pavement and his car as possible. Recognizing that as the technology continued to develop, 1970 was also the year that Formula One banned such cars because of the advantage that it could have in the future. There were too many complaints about Hall’s car.

Following Hall there were several other designers (Peter Wright, Tony Rudd, Gordon Murry, among others) who took on the challenge of completing a car that could do what Hill had first envisioned. After the death of prominent racer Gilles Villeneuve, from an accident in a similar car, the aerodynamic bottoms of race cars was banned. But even though the ban has been held to keep drivers at a reasonable speed on the track, it hasn’t dissuaded street racers from tinkering with their own “race cars.”

Since the time of Jim Hall, street racers and enthusiasts have worked to build their cars from the bottom all the way to the roof with aerodynamic designs to give them an edge. Whether that edge means winning a street race or getting more looks and admiring stares, it seems to work.