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Body Kit for 280ZX, Anyone Interested?


Chewievette

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http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=99733

Ever since this Crazy Body Transformation was posted I've been rather ...Inspired!

 

I've worked with composites, esp fiberglass, in the past and I'm confident that I could pull something like this off. but I dont want an F50, I want something a little newer! So I've decided to make a body kit for my car, when I'm done it will strongly resemble the 2004 Ferrari 575 GTC as seen below...

4465.jpg

 

I know I can do the body, in fact that will be one of the easier parts of my project, time consuming for sure, but still not all that complex. I'm a bit curious if there would be any interest in this kit? It will be made to fit the 280zx, because that's what I've got(sorry 1st Gen'ers). If I go to the effort and expense of creating this kit, I might as well make a few extras. Probably around a dozen. The kit would include:

-Front Bumper

-Front Fenders, with integrated headlight pods

-Clear Lexan Headlight Covers

-Hood, with openable louvers and intake

-Rocker panels, optional side exhaust heat shields

-Door Skins

-Rear Quarter Panels

-Lexan Rear Quarter Windows

-Rear Hatch, with rear window

-Tail Light Panel

-Rear Bumper

-Rear Wing, uprights, adjusters, and four piece wing, all Carbon Fiber

-Pre Cut Rear Diffuser, water jetted Steel

-Potential other parts include, Mirror Housings, Roof Scoop, and Scoop/Intake backing plates (most notably on the rear)

-You would also need a Fuel Filler tube extension, headlights, and tail lights; which I might be able to provide, depending on availability.

 

4464.jpg

 

Like I said, I dont know if I'll be doing the kit, but I will be making at least one. Do you guys think I could scrounge up enough interest to sell a few? Unfortunately for the buyer there's a huge drawback to this kit, the front and rear tracks. You should be able to use a combination of spacers, wide tires and rims with a different offset to fill up the fenders, however I personally dont like the "deep dish" look so I will be extensively modifying my suspension to use more 'correct' wheels. The kit wont be made until I finish the suspension install on my car, so I suspect it will be 1-2years before I'm ready to ship anything. Comments, Questions, and Criticisms Welcome as Always.

Thanks.

 

More, Bigger Pictures:

http://photobucket.com/albums/v11/chewievette/Cars/

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I'll do a drawing for you guys that shows the two cars from the side and how similar they are. It is true that the roof line, especially near the windshield is a bit off, but they are similar enough that I can live with the 'fudge factor'. I dont mean to offend any one here but, I'm doing my body to look like the ferrari, and I thought I'd offer to pop a few more while I'm at it. The DB's are nice and all but thats not what I'm going to do. Just by doing some mental math and figuring a fudge factor, You'd probably be looking at $4000-5000 for the whole kit. Which is what I'm aiming for, If I sell these I want it to be comparable to the 250GTO kits. The most challenging part of the install will be the rear quarter windows, I'm not sure yet exactly how I want to address the issue yet, but when I do, I'll be sure to let you know.

 

CZCAR - I'll post all the comparison specs for you in a little bit, I dont have them on hand right now.

 

and Yes, I do realize that my car has a Loooooong ways to go. but I wanted a project car, and I gots me a project! Now I just need to get a place that I can work on this ...well a better place anyways. I just have to finish up that drawing and post that up for you guys.

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Drawing is almost done, I should have it up in a little bit. but in the mean time, here's some specs for you...

 

280ZX:

Length: 170.87in

Width: 66.53in

Height: 50.79in

Wheelbase: 91.34in

Front Track: 54.53in

Rear Track: 54.53in

Weight: 2680lbs

 

575 GTC:

Length: 180.7in

Width: 80.1in

Height: 46.1in

Wheelbase: 99.2in

Front Track: 65.2in

Rear Track: 64in

Weight: 2425lbs

 

Which means the Datsun is,

9.53in shorter in length

13.57in narrower in width

4.69in taller

7.86in shorter in wheelbase

10.67in narrower in f track

9.47in narrower in r track

and it weighs 255lbs more.

 

so Basically all this means is that I've got a pretty sizable fudge factor to deal with. I'll also post the drawing I made of what the body kit will look like on the car. It will be far from perfect, but I'm going to do everything I can to get it there.

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Chewie,

Dont forget that the gtc was based on the 575 maranello. Get the standard dimensions for that and it will give you a real idea what your "fudge" facter is.

The standard car is shorter, higher , heaver, and narrower. Probably not far of the sixe of the ZX.

 

Douglas

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Chewie' date='

Dont forget that the gtc was based on the 575 maranello. Get the standard dimensions for that and it will give you a real idea what your "fudge" facter is.

The standard car is shorter, higher , heaver, and narrower. Probably not far of the sixe of the ZX.

 

Douglas[/quote']

Step ahead of you there, I acctually got the 575M specs first!

 

575M

Length: 192.99in

Width: 76.18in

Height: 50.27in

Wheelbase: 98.43in

Front Track: 64.25in

Rear Track: 62.44in

Weight: 3814lbs

I'm not sure of the accuracy on these (esp the length) but they got me going with my figuring.

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Here's those pics I promised...

 

100_5864.jpg

This is the side by side comparison of the 575 GTC and the 280zx, the 575 was drawn at the 575M's stock ride height, and I just noticed that the front end should be a little bit longer, like 2-3inches. I guess that's what I get for quickly sketching this out!

 

100_5866.jpg

This is the drawing I made of the Ferrari's body grafted onto the 280zx, its not perfect but I think it accurately represents the real car. I dont know how much 'playing' I'm going to do to the windshield/roof yet so I left it basically stock.

 

100_5868.jpg

and this is a tracing of the previous drawing layed over top of a stock 280zx, for comparison. It didn't turn out so well so please forgive.

 

and in case you missed it before, I Dont have access to a working scanner so these are pictures of my drawings! Hence the crappy quality. Sorry.

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Looks doable,

I wouldnt worry about the roof line yet. You can do things with paint that can fool the eye around the wind shield that will make look more like the 575.

Before you get to into it have a think about how much lower you want to run the car. The ZX rear suspension wont want to be lowered to much unless you want to do some pretty major modifications.

 

Douglas

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What you may want to start with is a fiberglass 250 GTO kit for the 240 -280 Zee and modify it to look like your concept on the ZX by locating the lexan dual head light covers and other etc. other parts to mold and modify to the 250 GTO fiberglass panels. John Washington (Reaction Research) at one time had a 250 GTO prototype on a 280 ZX body.

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What you may want to start with is a fiberglass 250 GTO kit for the 240 -280 Zee and modify it to look like your concept on the ZX by locating the lexan dual head light covers and other etc. other parts to mold and modify to the 250 GTO fiberglass panels. John Washington (Reaction Research) at one time had a 250 GTO prototype on a 280 ZX body.

and what would be the reason for doing this? I dont understand how this would help me.

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Looks doable' date='

I wouldnt worry about the roof line yet. You can do things with paint that can fool the eye around the wind shield that will make look more like the 575.

Before you get to into it have a think about how much lower you want to run the car. The ZX rear suspension wont want to be lowered to much unless you want to do some pretty major modifications.

 

Douglas[/quote']

That's why I heasitate to put the roof scoop on, I'm not sure how much of an impact it will have and I'd rather not draw people's attention to the least accurate part of the car. Although most people that see this car going down the street wont really care that the windshield/roof area is wrong, hell most people wont know what the real one looks like.

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http://www.classiczcars.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=14509&sort=1&cat=500&page=1

 

the db9r photoshoping really inspired me, i'm planning on doing another with the back being more similar to a ferrari 550 as this ones to plain and wrecks the angles of the zed a bit to much (from side on i think it'd b way to high at the back)...and also get a front view happening...

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