Hussein and Abdel Nasser are regular visitors. Abdel Nasser often brings in pages from one of his favorite car magazines with suggested designs or modifications for his Probe.
The Ghulan brothers, ethnic Kurds who lived in Jordan for several years and returned to Iraq after Saddam Hussein's fall, have owned a succession of hot rods that they describe in loving detail.
"I want to have a car that makes people turn their heads as I drive by," said Adnan Ghulan, who favors sleeveless shirts that show off a collection of tattoos.
Their current pride and joy -- a tricked-out white 1987 BMW M3 with front and rear spoilers, broad blue and red stripes, and a red eagle on the door -- certainly turns heads.
They bought it from a man who put the car in storage for years after being chased by Uday Hussein's thugs one night.
Inside, the pimping is even more over the top -- red and yellow leather everywhere, dragons on the floorboards and a set of stereo speakers that take up most of the back seat.
"We're not finished yet," said Hisham Ghulan, who wouldn't expand on his planned modifications and was reluctant to let his ride be photographed before he was done.
Abu Moustafa, owner of a venerable central Baghdad auto accessories store, has watched the new trends with bemusement. In business since the 1980s, he used to deal exclusively in practical needs such as seat cushions, brake pedals and mirrors.
After Hussein's ouster, demand increased for stenciled designs on car doors -- mostly religious slogans or Iraqi flags. But in the last year, he said, the requests have become more flamboyant. Customers want stylized lettering, strange nonsensical slogans in English (for instance, the Ghulans have a huge red and yellow banner across the top of their windshield that says "DRAGEN BOL") and the occasional wild animal.
"One guy requested a large dragon," said Abu Moustafa, who has a sign on the wall pleading, "Please . . . PLEASE no talking about religion or politics."
Besides eye-catching details, Iraq's resurgent gear heads want speed. Adnan Ghulan boasts of getting up to 150 mph on the highways, but he frowns on urban street-racing as irresponsible. He cheerfully acknowledges that his taste in autos makes him a target for carjacking, or worse.
But he's supremely confident in his ability to outrun and outmaneuver any threats.
