Sleek Z Posted May 4, 2004 Share Posted May 4, 2004 Hi, Gang. It's Show Time, AGAIN ! I've been receiving quite a few photos of fasinating and unique Z cars of late, from all over the world, but just haven't had the time to publish any of them. However, one set of photos of a "Totally RAD" Z car, located in a relatively uncommon area of the world for Z cars to appear in, particularly took my fancy. Since HybridZ.org is my favorite place to share creative ideas and feature unique Z cars, I put up a sneak preview of this one for all of you to check out prior to featuring the car sometime in late June? Read the owner's brief description of his car below and if interested, click on the link below his comments to go to a hidden preview page at ZPARTS.COM to check it out further. Key specs: standard engine with original twin SU carbs, LHD, Air Conditioner Sanden 507, power steering, central locking, power window, 20" chromed rim from "Niche" USA, with pirelli Pzero asymmetric 255/35/20, customized bumper and side skirt and side and hood Vent. Running smooth in the middle of the notorious traffic jam in jakarta, the capitol city of indonesia. -- Pohan Wong, owner Preview Page at http://www.zparts.com/showcase/hybridz/jakarta_z/preview.html This one is definitely not "Your Grandfather's stock 240Z!" Chou for Now, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted May 4, 2004 Share Posted May 4, 2004 Pretty nice except for the absolutely gawdy wheels..dub dub...bling bling... Otherwise very nice!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
z-REX Posted May 4, 2004 Share Posted May 4, 2004 agreed... great body work but those rims are asinine, ridiculous, cockamamie, heinous, ...damn, i'm out of adjectives. to put it simple, . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sleek Z Posted May 5, 2004 Author Share Posted May 5, 2004 Tim I was pretty sure that lots of US Z car customizers would "ding" the large, chrome wheels as "Gawdy". Personally, I'd share your reservation, if I saw such cruising a US car show, but keep in mind, culturally, Jakarta, Indonesia is probably somewhat distanced from Western interpretations of what makes a customized car a "cool" ride. Side Note: Here, in Richmond, CA there are tons of massive SUV's. mediocre sedans and econoboxes running around with 3 story high, "Chromed to the MAX" wheels that would cause even Steve Wonder to shield his eyes from the glare as they cruiesed by. My term for them is "Ghetto Wheels". ps I hate to mention it, but there was a clean Aero body equipped 240Z at the 2003 West Coast Nationals last year that I believe won best in some class that actually had virtually the same chrome spoke design "ant crusher" wheels on it (16 or 17" I believe). The guy exitedly came to me during the show to ask if I'd photograph his car so it could be featured in Sport Z Magazine after one of the editors apparently encouraged him to ask me to shoot it as a pre-requiste for considering to feature the car in some later issue. However, after one look, I headed for cover, because I saw the wheels on the car as totally inappropriate to an S30 body, no matter how much one tried to rationaliize the owner's sense of aesthetics. However, our US sensibilities aside, you gotta admit that, as a total package, the Indonesian car does have a kind of "cool" put together that is constistent and well executed, that makes a pretty strong statement, whether the owner's aesthetics agrees with US customizer's tastes or not. Once you see the inside and extensive attention to detail around the bumpers and other unique custom features not often seen on a Z, such as the power steering setup, you may come to a highened respect for Mr. Wong's unique hyrbridZ vision. Besides, imagine what it must have been like to successfully fitted 20" wheels and tires up under the almost stock looking body lines of the car. Quite a feat, I'd guess, whether you like'um or not. Ball's in Somebody Else's Court. Whose got an opinion? Remember, I am ".....just the messenger". Don't shoot at me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nullbound Posted May 5, 2004 Share Posted May 5, 2004 first time i've seen 20's on a first-gen Z... and last time i want to. otherwise, i want to see more photos of the bodywork and interior. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted May 5, 2004 Share Posted May 5, 2004 Normally I don't like body kits, but this one is oddly appealing. Looks like it could actually pull air out of the fender area. Rims of course have got to go. I would be curious to see what one wheel/tire combo weighs. I'm guessing in the 70-80 lb range. I've seen 16's like that on a Mercedes, and those spokes are thick and heavy. IIRC we weighed that wheel/tire combo in the low 60lb range. I believe it was Archimedes who said "Give me a chrome lever and a place to wrap a 35 series tire, and I can make the car slower" ...or something like that Also the rear spoiler seems TINY. You'd figure it would be about 3 feet tall and have at least 3 airfoils if he was trying to keep the theme started by the wheels. Jon PS You haven't responded to my email Eric. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z-TARD Posted May 5, 2004 Share Posted May 5, 2004 I wonder if there is any way we could talk him into making a mold of his front fenders and reproducing them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted May 5, 2004 Share Posted May 5, 2004 Eric...yes I love the car...it is very well done and very "Cool"...but the wheels HAVE to GO!!! In both style and size....terrible and it completely overwhelms the car and wrecks some very beautiful asthetics!!! Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poundz9oh9 Posted May 5, 2004 Share Posted May 5, 2004 Awwwww come on guys, the wheel's aren't that bad. with that being said, you definately wouldn't see them on my car though. I do love those fenders though (read-I want them). Wonder how hard would be to reproduce something similiar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
innerware Posted May 5, 2004 Share Posted May 5, 2004 I agree mostly. However that car is so damn cool I forgive the rims. Can't wait to see the interior and all the other goodies. Thanks for the quick preview!!!!!!!!!! How does that thing turn. I went back and looked, and if it were to brake hard or hit a bump and turn you'd think it would rub somewhere. Anyway thanks again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest iskone Posted May 5, 2004 Share Posted May 5, 2004 Anybody else think that picture looks smoshed side to side? I don't hate the size of the wheels but the thick crome spokes are nasty on any car. The fenders are sick tough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sleek Z Posted May 5, 2004 Author Share Posted May 5, 2004 Quick comment to call everyone's attention to something possibly working against the Jakarta Z you see in the preview photo. As a photographer, I immediately cringed when I realized that the photograher shot the car close up in a tight in space and was forced to use a wide angle lens to squeeze the entire length of the car into one pic. This results in noticable "bowing" and distoration of the body lines plus a wide angle lens always distorts car body proportions causing parts of car closest to lens to look excessively large comparted to the far side of the body. With such large wheels so close to the lens, they are bound to appear even more "ballooned" in size compared to overall car size and appear to be cartoon like. Give me the right light and focal lehgth of lens on a camera and let me choose the angle view of my choice and I'll make those 20" wheels appear to "fit" the car much nicer than they appear in the preview photo you'll are seeing in the first preview shot released. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sumo Posted May 5, 2004 Share Posted May 5, 2004 The rims arent that bad, ive seen worst things on a Z, the car just kinda looks like it went through an episode of MTV's "Pimp My Ride" 8) http://www.mtv.com/onair/pimp_my_ride/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fl327 Posted May 5, 2004 Share Posted May 5, 2004 Hooray for 20s on a Z Just needs different 20s Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Drewz Posted May 5, 2004 Share Posted May 5, 2004 Except for the rims I love the whole look and feel of that ride. CLean with subtle additions. The front fender vents rock on that car... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted May 5, 2004 Share Posted May 5, 2004 The fender looks like it was just cut, sheet metal bent in and a lip built up around it. Similar to an idea I have which is more subtle. But if it's a show car, I think it looks good! Can't wait to see other angles of the car. The rims I don't like either but I've seen worse at M-S-A's show. I just don't like positive offset rims, the Z is a classic and IMHO, it takes away from the "muscle" of the car. Owen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slownrusty Posted May 5, 2004 Share Posted May 5, 2004 That poor bone stock SU fed L24 is probably huffing to spin those Dubs. Yasin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gramercyjam Posted May 5, 2004 Share Posted May 5, 2004 Hey, ridin' with the funkmaster heeya. I say those wheels are "retro" as well as historic in that they closely resemble those that were found on the very same vehicles that were used to settle the West and who could find fault there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sleek Z Posted May 5, 2004 Author Share Posted May 5, 2004 gramercyjam "GOOD ONE !" I loved your observation and comments. Nice to see that someone is tracking the historical importance of 20" wheels on the earliest s30s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Aaron Posted May 6, 2004 Share Posted May 6, 2004 The 20's don't look as bad as I thought they would (I expected the car to look like a jacked up 4x4). The car looks well thought out and executed. I am very interested in seeing more shots of the car. I really like the fender vents, the blacked out trim and windows look good, and the front bumper/spoiler looks to be very unique. I think the wheels look totally out of proportion to the rest of the car, and I think more could have been done with the rear spoiler (something longer and with a less angle to extend the lines of the car and make it appear longer and sleeker). Overall I give it an 8. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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