There really is no better way to express your inner geek than through your car -- because you’ll usually be driving too fast to get harassed. Personally, I use to pretend to be Marty McFly and that driving 88 mph was enough to go “Back to the Future.” Unfortunately, my one and only mod -- an “Outta Time” license plate on the front, just like Marty’s DeLorean -- didn’t do the trick. But while I’m either too lazy or too embarrassed to truly customize my car, other science fiction fans have boldly gone where no fan has gone before in creating their own ultimate geekmobiles.

Shawn Crosby, for example, has become the trailblazer in sci-fi car modding. He has taken his Honda Del Sol and turned it into what he calls an “H-Wing.” Officially, Shawn has modeled the car after the A-Wing star fighter from the “Star Wars” canon. It does look like an A-Wing, but it is missing the rear vertical stabilizers or fins because they’re illegal. Instead, Shawn added an R2D2 unit to the back to substitute for the stabilizers.

The process began when Shawn used Photoshop to create samples of what a “Star Wars”-influenced car would look like. He first tried a Toyota Corolla, but found that it looked too awkward. Fortunately, the Honda Del Sol looked more appropriate. Shawn made several more tests in Photoshop before settling on a final design. Shawn gets parts from everywhere. People donate some parts that they think will look cool, other parts he finds at junkyards.

The majority of people do indeed enjoy the sight of Shawn’s car, but many still ask, “Why?” Shawn says he feels that a car is meant to be fun, and he thinks his fellow drivers get a kick out of his H-Wing. Imagine how exciting it would be on your commute, sitting still in traffic and getting angry at the SUV cutting you off… only to see an R2D2 unit mounted on the car next to you.

Better yet, Shawn has also been bringing the car to events benefitting the City of Hope National Medical Center, a comprehensive cancer center located near Los Angeles, and letting children play with the awesome H-Wing.

Related Links:

Shawn Crosby's personal website: H-Wing Carfighter

Info on "Star Wars"-modded cars: Roadsquadron.com

The wellspring of all that is "Star Wars:" Starwars.com