What vehicle with ground effects would you pick as a stock alternative?

[kitcarj]

Personally I don't care about the performance side of things so if you had to pick an inexpensive vehicle with a ground effects package what combination of vehicle and body work would you pick? Post a picture if you can.

Could Xabier's car be a 2nd gen Miata with a re-body kit?

The reason I ask is I have good car insurance but they hate kitcars or even engine swaps. I had a Vokaro insured with them (Met) for 10 years but it got increasingly difficult every time it came up for renewal every 6 months until finally they told me they wouldn't cover it.

The other reason is just the practicality and safety of a car with windows that don't attach by Velcro and AC/heater/defroster.

Anyone have an opinion on how safe the 818 would be in an accident. In my Vokaro I thought of it as a motorcycle and drove very defensively. As if my life depended on it!

Just thinking of alternatives that are as exotic looking without giving up so much.

Thanks

[Justen]

89 civic hatch back, lots of bondo, leave the body kit primer gray, roll on 4 donuts, 5" fart can. done

[Horhay]

Buy a used Boxster and save yourself a bundle.

[StatGSR]

Could Xabier's car be a 2nd gen Miata with a re-body kit?

if you like Xabiers design, just get a 93-97 Honda Del Sol and call it a day....

http://i496.photobucket.com/albums/rr321/JDMantidrug/underpsi0010.jpg
http://image.automotive.com/f/images/10315406+pheader/0708htup_01_z+1993_honda_civic_del_sol+front_side. jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/JDMSOL626/CleanWhiteDelSol.jpg


as for me, I'm a big fan of Spoon hard topped S2000's

http://a778.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/23/l_14386577e6acd145de592623035ace99.jpg
http://ll.speedhunters.com/u/f/eagames/NFS/speedhunters.com/Images/Jacco%20Willemsen/Car%20Features/S2000%20SpoonAmuse/CNG_1028.jpg
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b8kN7RxHR0I/TatEgnR-ZxI/AAAAAAAAAG0/_Wu-RE0Yffg/s1600/s2000spoon.jpg
http://image.hondatuningmagazine.com/f/8786783/htup_0803_02_z+spoon_sport_honda_s2000_demo_car+sp oon_sports_garage.jpg

[kitcarj]

I was thinking of something a lot more exotic looking. I would rather have a Saturn Sky, 2nd gen Miata or Mini convertible then the ones mentioned so far. I don't know the tuner market but I know that they have some beautifully modified cars. I don't car about the performance mods but the external.

[StatGSR]

you just said more exotic looking then continued to say 2nd gen miata..........

also, if your into funky body kits, you can make a del sol/s2k/miata/whatever look as ridiculous as you want. I'm just not a fan of most body kits.

[kitcarj]

I've never seen the hard top S2000. It looks nice. I didn't mean that those were exotic but for the price and trouble I would rather have one of them than the Boxster. I still like the 3000GT but it doesn't seem as exotic as it used to. I have been dreaming through EBAY motors. Some of the body kits look great, others look like someone hung plastic on them, which I guess they have. I see a lot more of those in the small town where I live then the show winning cars.


you just said more exotic looking then continued to say 2nd gen miata..........

also, if your into funky body kits, you can make a del sol/s2k/miata/whatever look as ridiculous as you want. I'm just not a fan of most body kits.

[Ks2]

miata with a LS1 (or rotary swap maybe) and this widebody kit from BRS
2837
2838
2839

http://www.brs-autodesign.com/projects/Miatawidebody.htm

[kitcarj]

what happened to Factory Five's GT Spyder convertible?

[kach22i]

Anyone have an opinion on how safe the 818 would be in an accident.

Safer than this::cool:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/off-topic-discussions/391522-random-transportation-pictures-534.html
2840

[crackedcornish]

Safer than this::cool:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/off-topic-discussions/391522-random-transportation-pictures-534.html
2840

or this
http://imageshand.yamahamotors.com/img.jpg?id=12277&class=med640

[2KWIK4U]

or this
http://imageshand.yamahamotors.com/img.jpg?id=12277&class=med640

I ride bikes and I would have to agree the 818 should be safer than a bike!

[Ks2]

i second that... how people can miss a booger green sport bike is beyond me...

[jimgood]

what happened to Factory Five's GT Spyder convertible?
It wasn't selling that well so they discontinued it. I think the consensus was that, since there was no roof offering, it made less desirable. It's too bad because that's a beautiful car.

[Gollum]

I don't car about the performance mods but the external.

You just used my definition of ricer, thanks!

People with this mindset today are really just the next generation of lowriders. People just trying to look cool with their car, not use it for anything truly performance related. What bothers me most about most of the people today with this mindset, is that they want the car to LOOK fast, without really being fast at all. At least the lowriders knew what look they were going for and it didn't have anything to do with looking performance-oriented.

I'm trying by best not to sound like I'm coming down on you for your opinions, because I really do believe that everyone is allowed to like cars for their own reasons, and in all honesty this new wave of "ricers" as I call them aren't much different than Ed Roth who really cared mostly about the "look" not as much the function. People admired his creativity and he's a legend to be admired. I just wish more people knew the distinction because too many kids are doing mods to "make their car handle mad yo!" and are just working against their goal because it's what's popular.

For example, I knew just from the title of this thread that it would have nothing to do with performance, yet most kids I meet driving modified cars wouldn't understand why I thought that...

[kitcarj]

I am over the hill and a lot of my favorite cars are from about 1932 (IE Pierce Arrow, Cadillac etc.) I would love to have a high performance car but I try to obey the speed limits. I always wanted a car that if a Porsche for example was coming up behind you on the freeway you could drop a gear and disappear like he was parked on the freeway. Since I don't really drive like that I tend toward the practical.
I just don't like the fact that with a few exceptions most cars are kind of boring, all the way up to $100k+. I would love to have a Cobra or 818 with an electric drive and then you are into a whole new ball game.
With 4 kids I have been stuck with 2 minivans for years now and would even like one of those paint jobs that goes on the side of a truck/van that makes it look like there is a Lamborghini there.:rolleyes:
I guess I see it as two forms of art, one goes on the outside and one goes on the inside. Some have both. Since I have no intention of pushing even a mild 818 to it's limits the art on the outside is what would draw me the most. As long as the reliability of the inside didn't make it a drag to use all the time.
I will probably go for the economy version if I can pull it off.


You just used my definition of ricer, thanks!

People with this mindset today are really just the next generation of lowriders. People just trying to look cool with their car, not use it for anything truly performance related. What bothers me most about most of the people today with this mindset, is that they want the car to LOOK fast, without really being fast at all. At least the lowriders knew what look they were going for and it didn't have anything to do with looking performance-oriented.

I'm trying by best not to sound like I'm coming down on you for your opinions, because I really do believe that everyone is allowed to like cars for their own reasons, and in all honesty this new wave of "ricers" as I call them aren't much different than Ed Roth who really cared mostly about the "look" not as much the function. People admired his creativity and he's a legend to be admired. I just wish more people knew the distinction because too many kids are doing mods to "make their car handle mad yo!" and are just working against their goal because it's what's popular.

For example, I knew just from the title of this thread that it would have nothing to do with performance, yet most kids I meet driving modified cars wouldn't understand why I thought that...

[BrandonDrums]

It wasn't selling that well so they discontinued it. I think the consensus was that, since there was no roof offering, it made less desirable. It's too bad because that's a beautiful car.

Yeah, I REALLY wish that car was still available. Was it really just the roof thing? I figured you could more easily make one of those than cancel the whole line if that was the ONLY factor limiting sales.

I bet it would sell more today than before, FFR has a better name so people shop more for FFR products than having FFR be just a means to a nice replica kit. The success of the GTM and '33 hot rod suggests that for me.

[BrandonDrums]

miata with a LS1 (or rotary swap maybe) and this widebody kit from BRS
2837
2838
2839

http://www.brs-autodesign.com/projects/Miatawidebody.htm

To jump back on-topic, that car is AMAZING. I wouldn't mind doing a widebody on my WRX wagon.

[Rockraven]

I think you're missing the whole point of building your own car. Slapping on a body kit to "get the look" is nowhere the same.

[kitcarj]

I know. :( I thought when the contest was announced the ultimate prize they could have offered was to win the kit of the car you designed yourself. For example Picasso painted, a few have original's of his work and many more have copies. 1st choice would always be to be the master creator of the work, 2nd best would be to have an original, and the last choice is just an expression of taste.
Unfortunately life usually has a lot of higher priorities.

For most of us even the 818 is putting together Factory Fives work with Subaru's work with the work of a few skilled designers that got there designs picked by FF.


I think you're missing the whole point of building your own car. Slapping on a body kit to "get the look" is nowhere the same.

[thebeerbaron]

0
I know. :( I thought when the contest was announced the ultimate prize they could have offered was to win the kit of the car you designed yourself. For example Picasso painted, a few have original's of his work and many more have copies.
I too wish the prize had been a kit, bu that would have limited the breadth of talent that participated.

Funny thing about Picasso is that he signed anything that could be signed. There are a ton of signed Picasso originals. Almost all of them are worthless (comparatively). It's not just about having an original. It's about having an original of something that's special. And I think that applies very well to the 818. There are plenty of 70s fiberglass kit cars knocking around - how many are worth anything, and how many are just shower enclosures gone wrong? :)