Gollum Posted April 11, 2006 Share Posted April 11, 2006 Ok, there have always been things in the back of my mind that really hinder me from accepting the stock lines of the 280ZX cars, although the 280ZX is closer to my ideal 'Z' look than the S30 cars. Many of the things I don't like I can't really figure out. Example: The front looks too long. But I started looking at other big engine 2 seaters that look great and the 280ZX isn't actually all that big (or misproportioned). It's just so much of the car serves to elongate the look of the nose. So, the other day it came to me, move the windsheild forward and draw the eye to the roof line. This would also put the dash a little bit farther forwards and where it should have been from the factory (in my opinion) for perfect comfort. So I did some photoshop work to envision some lines. Give me feedback. I've always wanted to chop the ZX but thanks to the widebody sketches done here on this board I can tell that with a widebody the 280ZX would look rediculous with a chop top AND a widebody. I plan to bring the rear out about 3-5 inches and the front out 2-4 inches. I'd try to go for as smooth of a look as I can, so think supra. I'd try to blend it as much as I can and extend the body work to the door if I have to. The bumpers will be gone, the back will be nearly flush with a lip spoiler on the back and the front isn't finished in my mind yet. The front is the hardest part for me. Beucase if you take the bumper off the car screams muscle car and I envision eleanor all over it but that won't really flow with the way I see the rest of the car. I want to go for something smooth looking but not pointed like the stock look. So use your imagination I guess. Ok, so the first top pic is stock. The second is if I miraculously found the perfect windshield in the perfect dimensions and radius that allowed me to move it forward and rake it back to use the stock roof with a modified A pillar. The third is if I took the stock windshield and A pillar and placed them farther forward, and in this senario I'd have to do some fab work on the roof. I'd probly try to make one from scratch and omitt the T-tops. I personally like the look of this better as it's a bit more natural looking. Ok, so start talking. Obviously this won't happen over night, and I understand that this is a HUGE undertaking. I'm not looking for people to tell me how hard it is. I want people to brainstorm WITH me and see what else should be done or done differently. All comments welcome though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueovalz Posted April 11, 2006 Share Posted April 11, 2006 I always liked the long hood line and consider that essential for any "sports" car look. The S130 has a shorter one than the S30, and would, IMHO, be as short as I would care to go. Any shorter and it starts resembling a mid-engined car, without the fully proper proportions. I do like the increased rake on the windshield though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Austenp405 Posted April 12, 2006 Share Posted April 12, 2006 I too think the long hood adds to the "sports car" look of the ZX. You could always do the reverse of a chop and make the roofline higher. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wingnutthehutt Posted April 12, 2006 Share Posted April 12, 2006 Gollum, can you make the pictures bigger man? It's hard to tell the difference. I agree with you, the ZX always looked to long and lopey to me. Like a dachsund or something... uh oh, here come the flames. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boobala Posted April 12, 2006 Share Posted April 12, 2006 The long hood line is one of things that makes a Z a Z. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gollum Posted April 13, 2006 Author Share Posted April 13, 2006 Did you click on the picture wingnutthehut? It's a thumbnail that I posted, not the actual pic. So here's the full size since people seem to be having problems with it. http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/9890/280zxwindshieldmod4cu.jpg I agree long hood lines are grea, but if you painted a ZX yellow it would be a flying bannana... Actually, I was working on the car some today in between rain sessions and I got an idea for the front... Think of the daytona coupe. I'm thinking what if I dropped the hood down just after the radiator to give it more of a 60's race car look, maybe even a little jaguar ish? I think with a widebody this would look great. I still don't know if I'll like the square lines of the rear window... I'd love to tapper it back a bit to give the upper half of the car more of that teardrop shape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hartspank Posted April 13, 2006 Share Posted April 13, 2006 The 3rd pic looks more like a 2+2 to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drftn280zxt Posted April 13, 2006 Share Posted April 13, 2006 I like the steeper rake but I don't like the larger side window. Try rake out the windshield but leaving the side window the same. The third one minus the front end from afar looks a lot like a Z31's lines. I can't agrue against a widebody though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wingnutthehutt Posted April 13, 2006 Share Posted April 13, 2006 Yeah, thanks for making me feel stupid. I'm going with my connection was idle, and it wouldn't link... Anyway, I like the second one best, but it DOES make the side windows look pretty big. I think the main reason the ZXs look so stretched out is becuase of the front bumper. If you compare Austenp405s sig pic to the pics you posted, it doesn't look quite so long. I think dropping the hood could look really sweet. The XKE was inspiration for the 240 after all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gollum Posted April 13, 2006 Author Share Posted April 13, 2006 I wasn't trying to make you look stupid wing, I was trying to make your computer look stupid, IT somehow casted the blame onto you Thanks for the input so far guys. You're really helping me brainstorm. Keep the comments coming if you can. Oh yea, blue oval Z. I still love the look of your car. So don't consider your opinion wasted on ones without ears Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted April 16, 2006 Share Posted April 16, 2006 On the S30, and to some extent on the S130, what accentuates the length of the hood is the pointed hood lip and “forward swept†grill. Rounding out the hood lip/grill/bumper area would reduce drag and front-end lift, besides accomplishing some cosmetic improvements (in the eye of the beholder, of course). If your seat is mounted far aft – either because you’re tall, or the car is otherwise modified to require a further aft seating position (as in my case), then the windshield actually feels too far forward already. However, if you do wish to move its lower lip forward, keep in mind that you’ve effectively shortened the engine bay. For the stock L6 this complicates the installation of the brake vacuum booster and removal of the engine. For a V8 Hybrid these problems become even more severe. An alternative might be to set the windshield upper lip further back, thus sloping the windshield more. This was, if I recall correctly, already done by a member on this site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mentallylost Posted April 16, 2006 Share Posted April 16, 2006 Another option to the s130's mile long front end is to remove the bumper cover skin and sheet it with a 18 or 20 gage steel. Or fiberglass if you are talented enough (I'm not). If you remove the bumper cover you effectively remove approximately 3 inches from the front end. If you do the steel idea, you could easily incorporate a more vertical air dam for aerodynamics giving it a more "350z" look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank280zx Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 actually the ZX 9s130) has a longer nose than the s30 ( mostly due to the bumper ) I like it the lines of a coupe are downright sexy .. i think it is an improvement over the s30.. i like the s30's as the are stunning !.. but i would take a mint clean 79 over a s30 any day.. problem is MOST of the body kits that get slapped on the States... mostly dont make em better looking.. I like the japanese kits allot ! They try to keep the ZX look clean and simple.. not with twelve antennas louvres.. those tialightbars .. If you decently drop a 79 coupe ( slicktop) put some nice Deep dished wheels ( zg flares) and a nice front bumper on.. good exhaust ..headlightcovers.. wing mounted mirrors .. i say WOW that is a car ! But hey its a 'free' world .. like whatever you like ! But it is all a matter of taste .. so if YOU like it ... go for it ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest levelhead86 Posted April 18, 2006 Share Posted April 18, 2006 The bumpers on the stock s130 look like a mistake... anything that can be done to fix that is an improvement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gollum Posted April 18, 2006 Author Share Posted April 18, 2006 I might have to pull the bumper off today due to random idle overheating... I guess the car is just forcing me to make it look better I think the ZX has great lines, but to me it looks VERY 80's and that just doesn't cut it for dream car for me. I think I've started to sort out what it's gonna look like in my mind. So hopefully by next winter I can park it and start working like a mad man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wingnutthehutt Posted April 19, 2006 Share Posted April 19, 2006 How do the 130s look with the bumper completely gone in front? I think it looks kinda cool on the s30, kind of angry and rough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gollum Posted April 19, 2006 Author Share Posted April 19, 2006 i ended up taking it off. So maybe I'll snag some pics before I put it back on. If you finished it up right it would look good. It definately can obtain that muscle look that the S30 can. But at the same time the body lends itself to smooth lines well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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