hi

 

was set on a 99 spec front as it makes the front end look a bit heavier

 

but now Ive got my car and Ive seen the original front in dark metallic red its growing on me

 

whats your thoughts

 

ta chris

I'm at that turning point as well. I do really like then 99-spec front end, but I'm one of those strange people that likes the original front bumper. I'm still undecided. I've spent quite a bit of money having the stone chip effect smoothed, so not in a hurry to replace. But the more I think about a 99-spec front end, the more I warm to it. Probably won't do it, but always thinking about it.

 

I like the little groove that runs around the top of the original bumper. You loose that on the 99-spec and it's that bit that's holding my decision up! LOL

 

Also, in the 99-spec front end has larger cutouts....I hate mesh, but I also hate large open spaces...so, still undecided.

99 spec all the way helps the zed not looking dated

I know you live in somerset mate but you wasnt up in the west mids the other week were you?

 

a car looked exactly the same on the move anyway

that was meant to funkysi by the way

I'm fitting a 99 spec i've decided, no more faffing around with ideas of the twinz bumper, maybe on eday i'll get my hands on one.

 

I'm filling and smoothing the coachline all round the car and smoothing the stone chip effect off the base so the car will be one piece from top to bottom and be a cleaner shape

I know you live in somerset mate but you wasnt up in the west mids the other week were you?

 

a car looked exactly the same on the move anyway

 

Nope. Off the road all winter.

I'm filling and smoothing the coachline all round the car ....

 

Noooooooo. Don't get rid of the accent line. It's part of the design and kicks the back end up. It looks too blobby and plain looking with it smoothed in.

 

It's up to you though...just my thoughts. :)

....if you have a kit though it looks cool. IE, Unos/James300's old one with blended in skirts etc.

I'd replace the front with a 99 one if it was decent quality. Not with cheap fibre-glass though.

This was one of the many things in the "must write it up one day" pending tray so here goes. Starting with the fact that beauty is in the eye of the beholder so have whatever you like.

 

I nearly got a 99 when mine was being rebuilt after a write-off. And here are a few of the pics I used to help me decide.

 

1) The neatest and cleanest: US front end, no plate, dark gray infill.

 

2) 99 spec with low mounted UK plate.

 

3) 99 spec with top mounted UK plate (usual position)

 

4) JDM import with UK plate mounted on JDM mount. ALso note that this one has the fairly common body colour repaint over the dark gray original infill

 

5) JDM but with UK plate mount and dark gray infill restored.

 

Since 4 and 5 are mine before and after you can see which way I decided.

 

Why? I started out wanting to update the look and I had seen a couple of 99 spec updates in the flesh which looked very nice. But every time I went round it photoshopping away merrily, I realised I preferred the original.

 

After a lot of thought, I came to the conclusion that the original designers had it right with their "wide-mouthed-frog" look. Between the first design and the 99 spec, the Supra (and others) came along with their "whale-mouth" design. And so they brought the front end of the Z into line with that look - not unsuccessfully.

 

Even though the whale-mouth looks good, the old version (with the infill) gives it a lower, leaner aspect in comparison. They used some of the standard designer tricks - in particular, horizontal stripes to accentuate the width and put a contrasting stripe there to minimise the height. (If you notice, no 4 looks a little less low-slung because it doesn't have that dark stripe to break up the front like no 5 does. And the effect is minimised on darker Zeds as the contrast strip is less noticeable.).

 

It's the same thing as fat people shouldn't wear horizontal stripes because that makes them look shorter and wider than they really are. So if you want your car's front end to look lower and wider, have a light Z with original front; if you want more of the whale-mouth effect, go with the 99 spec.

100 % 99 spec front bumper for me. i cant wait to get one for mine. looks so much more modern i think without going over the top.

IMO the standard bumper dates the zed really badly. 99spec is a much nicer design, sleeker, prettier and makes car look much newer.

 

99spec only available as high quality polyeurothene, and not cheap fibreglass like more aftermarket bumpers.

Totally agree with Gio.

im an original fan... i dont dislike the 99spec and i believe its the best taste of all the aftermarket bumpers, but the original 1 does it for me on my car.

 

though i would have to admit that on some colours the 99spec is the way to go.

deffo 99 spec, but then i am biased!!! :D

 

At first I definately wanted a 99 spec bumper but at some point the original started growing on me. I'm like Si in that I don't like the mesh and big hole look. I'm not sure it makes the car look any newer either. On the whole I think they are different but not any worse or better.

 

Myself I'm going to stick with the original then at some point I'll be shoving the stillen type 3 lip on it.

Agree with Legrath and Mr Bunny. Front end looks dated. 99 spec is much better looking. And I disagree entirely with FunkySi on the coachlines. Lose them. There are enough shut lines left visible to not make it look like a "jelly mould" (it's when people start blending the bumper to the arches and the tail-light surrounds, for example,that makes it aesthetically, not to mention functionally, problematic). Getting rid of them and smoothing them in sharpens up the lines of the car, emphasizing the sleekness of it's original design. The lines detract from the silhouette (which, even today, is still incredibly striking) and are overly fussy IMO :)

Agree with Legrath. Front end looks dated. 99 spec is much better looking. And I disagree entirely with FunkySi on the coachlines. Lose them. There are enough shut lines left visible to not make it look like a "jelly mould". It sharpens up the lines of the car, emphasizing the sleekness of it's original design. The lines detract from the silhouette of the car (which, even today, is still incredibly striking) and are overly fussy IMO :)

 

here here :D

here here :D

:D Sorry Nick, just added to it, hope you still agree :D ;)

It's all very well saying get rid of them. But I've seen them when they've been filled in and when you look down the side of the car and to the shut lines, you can see the areas that have been filled and the shut lines are not uniform....ie, it looks untidy.

:D Sorry Nick, just added to it, hope you still agree :D ;)

 

lol, nope still agree. I like the shape of the original car, i love the sleeker more rounded 99 spec front bumper and my aim is to try and improve on an already beautiful design but without ruining it with bodykits or anything else.

 

Low, purposeful, 18" wheels and smoothed and cleaned up to make it look like a modern coupe.

It's all very well saying get rid of them. But I've seen them when they've been filled in and when you look down the side of the car and to the shut lines, you can see the areas that have been filled and the shut lines are not uniform....ie, it looks untidy.

Then they should have gone to a bodywork guy who knows what he's doing in the first place. Too many people try to do things on the cheap and it bites them on the ass under closer inspection. Get it done and get it done well ;)

Seems there's a lot of poor examples round then. Just hurry up and get yours done! :)

I spend hours when i do bodywork, if it doesn't work then back i go and hack it all out again

Seems there's a lot of poor examples round then. Just hurry up and get yours done! :)

I am preparing a selection of fine toothed combs, for it's eventual debut, just for you as we speak mate :rofl: :p ;)