Opinions on which kit conversion design looks better

Might you guys remember that there are always more than one view to every initiative. You might also need to remember that not everyone out in the world would pass off the idea to bring new life to an older vehicle they may possess (and this applies to many other things apart from vehicles). What detrimental effect does Arashis project/dream/business scheme have on you, at which you feel the need to shoot as many holes into it as you can. Especially if you're on the fence suggesting there is no market for his end product, that yes, might take many many years to achieve... After all your comments rave on about the Z32 not being around in the future, or similarly, you write them off as junkers now - yet you own them and probably have installed aftermarket products, reviewed aftermarket products, modified them from their original form.

Positive suggestions, such as Arashi using his skills, ingenuity to further develop or design new age euro styled vehicles are fine, if not grand ideas for his future. But suggesting he's wasting his time, life and our time by reinventing the wheel for z32 enthusiasts are a little harsh, would you not agree? After all, it is HIS life, HIS time and HIS invested money. I and many others dont believe you have the right to negate these facts.

Arashi might not own a famous business, have a store front, expel large quantities of varying products all around the world, like many other companies whom are reinventing the wheel for our vehicles. But he's trying.

Perhaps jealousy feeds negativity.

 

If you are planning to design new headlight and replacement bonnet to suit the new headlights, that would be fine.

But when I consider the fact that Lambo decided to use Z32 headlights, rather than redesign their own, I have to wonder if you will be able to get that done.
Would you use GLASS for the lens?

I don't think you should be designing replacement bonnets that extend over and partially cover the headlights to make them look a different shape, because you could get too much air underneath and potentially pop the bonnet.

Why don't you search for a headlight shape that you like, try test fitting it to your Zed and then design a replacement bonnet.

I wonder whether it will be worth it.

Redesigning the rear tail lights, would be easier. All plastic.
Redesigning the mirrors would be easier.
Redesigning the front and rear bars would be easier.

Your renderings all show that you have moved the bonnet latch forward?
or are you intending to have it front hinged and rear latched? (that would be easier for you, because you could hinge on your redesigned front bar and place a left and right latch where the existing hinge points are located.)

PS: you really should concentrate your efforts on a newer model Z, like the 370z.
It would be a lot easier to redesign the front bonnet and use an infill adapter with leds, to form the headlight profile you are trying to achieve.

 

many, many words to get to the final punch line ... and then only to fizzle miserably, methinks ...

"Jealousy" ... ???? .. lol, give the boys a break .. !!!!

 

I would not agree. Opinions were requested by OP, and that is what I see delivered, albeit some are not in line with the request.

I don't believe he has the right to spam up nearly every every thread with these atrocious "designs" that you can barely discern the lines of. We all know it is a pipe dream, but what the hell is in the pipe???? The real fact here is it is never going to happen, and that is the truth, no matter who defends him and heaps belief on him, you merely become a pawn in his game by doing so. Another fact; it is disgusting that this isn't recognised and it is allowed - nae, encouraged - to continue.

 

Regardless the view points drawn upon my comments. The simple fact is there has to be a line drawn between constructive comments (as so requested by the OP - and yes negative comments welcomed) and the comments at which have no bearing towards the topic. Ie, "should have been swallow".

Regardless the OP, it's comments like that, that are unsavoury and frankly aren't required.

Furthermore, I have no problem with members seeing arashis projects as pipe dreams. They may well be. They may not. They may take forever and a day before completion. But this is individual interpretation. With and without following. If you have negative views towards it, I simply request you play a little nicer with respects to what you type.

Lastly. If you feel arashi is spamming. Perhaps RBP it and make it noted. If the system isn't working try PM'ing us.

Thank you.

 

One small question .... just how does one know whether the RBP system is/is not working >>> ???

therein lies the problem; there is no way a user has of knowing ..... !!!!

the RPB system has been either totally R/S or at the least, intermittent, for many, many months .... it is long overdue that the necessary resources be invested in getting the damn thing working ... !!!!

 

What? Must we go back through every thread he has ever posted up one of his bastard renderings to point out the spam and trolling? Surely as a mod it is your job to note such things and discern it for what it is. I can scarecly believe the political way this continually gets written off. I have some time off for the next week or 2, expect about 100 PM's.

 

Arashi,

I don't know you, I'm new to zeds and I'm not a successful entrepreneur. Despite this, I will offer you some advice that I think you'd be wise to heed.

When taking on an endeavour such as manufacturing and selling a product, one must establish whether or not the said endeavour is a viable one. This is done by performing market research.

The Z32 is a nice car and there are plenty floating around. Unfortunately for you, the Z32 is still a niche market in the grand scheme of things.

A niche market is fine and definitely what you should try to cater to when pursuing an endeavour like this, but when you can't meet the demands of your market, you won't sell any products. This site is the biggest site in Australia for Zeds and hardly any members have said they would purchase your product. This is an indication that your business endeavour is destined to fail, you have performed market research (albeit too late and without realising it) and the market is saying "NO"!

 

Hello old forum Rash.

Time, and time, and time, and mother effin' time again, you post another thread about your ..."designs.." (I hate using that word with regards to you).
Time, and time, and time, and mother effin' time again, the majority say "NO!!"
Time, and time, and time, and mother effin' time again, you try and arue validity, even AFTER people actually try and come up with constructive criticism. You never even take any on board, rather, you argue, again.

Seriously Man. Bro. Mate. Cuz. Habibz. Buddy. Lan. Friend. Take a hint. Take advice. If you really want to waste your time trying to sell your unbelievably silly ideas, at least make them semi realistic, and for god's sake, stop slipping in comments about how you will "profit" from it. Hate to shatter you bruv, you ain't makin' shizzle.

Sincerely, your old forum friendly adviser, from day one you joined here... (what did we do to deserve such punishment??)

Elie. mwa

 

One might assume it DOES NOT WORK and use PM also.

RBP will get fixed upon upgrading Forum to vB 5.x but that may mean losing some add-ons ... refer Pex or Stu.

 

all very well, Rob .. but why then do Mods continue to advise to use RBP .... ???!!!!

better to just close RBP down, tell everyone that and advise all to use PM which, painfully, means sending the PM to all Mods (according to previous advice !!!) .. a pain in the proverbial ...

in the past we have been consistently advised that the RBP "is being looked at" ... for more than a year ???!!!! ... and any new RBP, as a basic, needs to have built into it, a confirmation that each RBP has been sent and recorded (a major flaw and omission in the existing system).

somehow, our newest, but un-nameable, best mate can get his magic CNC machine up and running .. but the Forum cannot manage a built in RBP system ... ???? SHAME ...

 

You think Arashi could fix it, Baz? As to why some Mods advise using RBP I cannot say .... perhaps coz sometimes they receive them and don't notice when they do not ...

As far as fixing this minor glitch is concerned .... first we need to look at an upgrade to vB 5.x and what that entails other than $'s, which in itself is not a problem. It's add-on compatibility and availability of gurus time (Pex or Stu) that's a problem.

An eventual upgrade will, IMHO, not sit well with all.

 

you have been O/S too long, Rob .... you must NOT use that 6 letter word/name ... it just encourages him .....

but you do confirm my point .... for how long are we going to be told a "fix" is on the way .... it simply has become just another "gunna" ... some day, one day, maybe ... !!! .. and seemingly remains such ...

you know as well as I do that Stu is largely out of the loop .... so just let's find someone who can do the necessary, buy an outside resource perhaps .... surely we are not the only Forum with an RBP system ... our BULLETIN system is a common package, is it not .?????

 

Updates to my project will be slow and as a good number of members are sensitive to beloved Zeds losing their identity due to my kit, I dont mind at all if this thread is locked... I also cant have any hurt kittens on my conscious if a certain member decides to take out his anger on one

Here are new headlight and hood design Im toying with from previous concepts. I also like the initial square headlights in the first post (looks like the Mid4) and 350z ones I posted earlier which the stock headlights can be elongated with an accessory LED extension.

What about the general public that have no idea what a ZX is but see my kitted Ferrari like car for the first time... I can convert and flip cars by myself for a great return in profits.

whether thats a kiss you gave me at the end or that you joined the Man Whore Association, thanks for your friendly post . Ive actually made this project more realistic and affordable by making it a front conversion kit... which is also compatible to 2+2 and 2 seater bodies. How could I lose with Ferrari like designs and high turn over profits

 

You're deluded if you think you're going to drive zeds with these kits and sell them to the public. Once one is gone, you need to sell another and to do this, you need another zed. Good luck finding reliable zeds to put kits on, on a regular basis. Also good luck finding members of the general public to buy them on a regular basis.

Your business model is extremely flawed, you've got the entrepreneurial prowess of a gnat.

 

The west coast here is full of cheap Zeds, I'll go to the states if supply runs dry... also my jobs to sell a nice looking car, not a reliable one
If business goes good, I can even contract people in different continents to sell them for me... where ever there are Zeds.

 

so you're happy to sell lemons and expect people to keep coming back? very very bad ethics....

Why can't you legally make your own lens? Please, show me some laws preventing you from doing some actual engineering.


"What about the general public that have no idea what a ZX is but see my kitted Ferrari like car for the first time... I can convert and flip cars by myself for a great return in profits."

Well if they haven't heard or know of a zed before this than they clearly aren't that car orientated... and if they did a 5 min google search they will find all the dramas and the age of the car and simply walk away...

You say you will flip them for high profits? How high?

Buy a zed... say $4,000 on a good day
Fab whole fibreglass front end $1,000 in materials
New headlights $600 for the set
respray of the whole car $5,000 (you'll need to if you want to be semi-rebirthing these cars, not going to have half stock paint half new paint

So now we are on $10,600 per stock car with the kit in parts alone...

You'd want to lower it so even cheap lowered springs $400
Set of basic rims to make it look the part $1,000 on the very low end
Then the big killer... time to do all this work in labour.... at least! 2 weeks solid work per car, say 100 hours.. $60/hr which again is bottom end there's another $6,000

so whats that come to? 73........91..... carry the 4.... i before e except after c

$18,000 per car.... so to turn it for any kinda profit you are asking $20,000 for a 25+ year old lemon with a body kit...

They are rough numbers but from my experience it wouldn't be far off and good enough for a guide...

Not ass bashing here but seriously dude.... 0 chance of selling anything ever for this kind of money and the mind set of "i dont care what you think i'll do it anyway"

 

You make a very clear point LnP.
All baseline figures 20k for a "modernised" body kit.
Thats not counting the aging suspention part, driveline, and reconditioned engine to produce a reliable car.
Oh damn, I near forgot about the interior. Drivers seat tears, lifting front of dash, and cracked leather on the steering wheel.

Realisticlly Arashi you'd have to agree the numbers don't make it viable for you to produce a car after you have fitted the kit to it.

If you try to sell a car that does not have the mechancals overhauled then when it breaks down the customer will bad mouth you and produce zero chance of a returning customer.

We buy body kits for our cars, not to increase the resale value, but to improve the looks for ourselves only.
Even that is costly with parts, freight, paint, and fitting.

 

for 20k you can get a very well kept modded zed these days that still looks the shit...




now if this was a kit for you and you alone as your toy, sure, go for it... full cred when its done... but as a viable business "for heaps of profit" it just will not happen

but in saying that... when you have finished this product and sold 5 complete cars at a profit... i am willing to eat my own shit.

 

There are plenty of people who make low tech solution body kits which are hand laid in moulds to meet the demand as orders 'trickle in'

The CNC solution is better suited to small high precision components.
eg. Updated instrument knobs, updated steering wheel fascia, small interior plastics.
If I were doing this, I would factor in the costs for world wide shipping and that would limit the physical size of anything I would cut.
The largest interior piece I would cut would be
- A pillar (designed with some kind of useful built-in feature)
- B pillar (designed with some kind of useful built-in feature)
- dash instrument cover (designed with additional gauge pods)
- extension to dash instrument cover (designed to accommodate iPhone/ GPS/mini computer screen, etc)
- replacement armrest lid which incorporates cup holders, might be useful.

There are so many parts that can be cut with CNC that would be high profit.