You may see them zip down the road in a way that causes your teeth to rattle and your brain to spin. It is a pimped out ride with the looks of a race car and the performance to back it up. While these cars, different makes and models, are a huge hit with the younger generations, they are enjoyed by people of all ages with a similar taste - one of speed and styling. Yet it isn't really the car that makes these beauties such a joy to look at, it is the entire body kit and ground effects package that transforms any car into a car admired by all. If you have any interest in making your car look better, you just may be someone who needs a body kit make-over.
A body kit, by definition, is virtually any piece or accessory for a car that modifies the look of a car. It attaches to the outside of the vehicle and would usually be put on the front bumper, side skirts, and the bonnet, wing, guards or rear bumper of the car. Usually this is done to promote the race car look and to scream speed and power and to command attention from anyone who can see it. A full body kit would include all of these parts - and possibly different materials for each. The greatest thing about creating a body kit for your own car is the factor of custom building it to your specifications. Mix and match different body components.
Of course, the end appearance of the car is completely up to the owner - but there are a few features you will surely consider:
It is highly important to keep the car symmetric. To keep with the sleek, fast look, it is wise to have the right / left and front / back ends with a similar flow.
Smooth lines and a lowered image are common characteristics of cars installed with body kits. These features make the car look fast.
In the end though, a car owner must decide for themselves if they want the traditional speed features or if they would rather experiment with other options.
Remember, a body kit is a great choice for any car and can do wonders in terms of making a car more attractive and sleeker. Moreover, there are thousands of options in the body kit arena, so it's easy to customise your vehicle the way you want to!
Body Kit Materials
There are two basic materials used for body kits - urethane and fibreglass.
Urethane is fairly resistant to small bumps and will resist denting. It's very strong and can take a good amount of banging around before damaging. The only downside to urethane (if it has one at all) is that once damaged, it will probably have to be replaced. Although urethane body kit prices can be pretty high, you will also find the quality is equally as high. Urethane, at its core, is a hard but flexible type of rubber. When one of these urethane body kits are installed, you will find that they are much easier to install than a fibreglass body kit (hence: saves money on installation) and it will last you for a very long time.
Fibreglass, on the other hand is less expensive (roughly half as much for materials as a urethane body kit). There are several upsides, but mainly the price to consider about fibreglass body kits and products. Variety is one of those key factors. No matter what the car or what the style that is sought out, a fibreglass part can most likely be found to fit the need. Since they are fibreglass, a lot of the time a body kit can be repaired if the damage is not too extensive.
These are the two main materials used when selecting a body kit, and people can go either way when deciding. If you are looking for high quality and durability, then urethane is your best option.. If money is a concern or a specialty item is required, fibreglass is most likely the best solution for you. However, either of the products can be found on many cars, and many people will even choose to mix and match fibreglass and urethane, depending on the part, on the same car. Once painted, it's pretty hard to tell without close inspection between fibreglass and urethane.
Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2007 8:53 am Post subject: Bodykits - Technical and Resources
Parts and Positions for Best Usage of a Body Kit
The main points of a car that allow for body kit products are the front and back bumpers, side skirts, bonnet and the wing or spoiler. If you are installing a full body kit but you are choosing different parts from different kits then you need to consider parts that have a similar style or look so that the parts flow together on the vehicle. A full body kit makeover could deal with each component individually and make adjustments for a similar look. If the goal is to build a car that has similar features to a particular race car or street car, then it is possible when targeting choosing different parts.
The front and back bumpers is the first thing you see when you look at a car. Bumpers also serve as the first encounter between the car and the passing air that is flowing over it. If you have a car that doesn't have the most aerodynamic bumpers - you can change them. That is where the body kit materials come in. The bumpers can either be replaced completely or a "bumper cover can be installed over your existing bumpers. It is like a skin that goes directly over your stock bumper.
Obviously, bumper covers will add weight to your car (you would not notice this at all unless you are racing your vehicle and weight is an issue for you). Another choice for you would be to add a Front Air Dam or Rear Skirt to your existing factory bumpers. Once an air dam or skirt is added to your bumper and painted it gives that appearance of an entirely new bumper, and many would think that you replaced the entire bumper. Looks and performance can go together- but at a price.
The side skirts of a car are what give it the sleek appearance- or a low profile one! Depending on your car, the basic contour lines and the existing side skirts will decide what needs to be done in this category. A car benefits greatly from the addition of a lower side skirt because it gives the image of the car being placed lower to the ground.
Bonnets serve as a great opportunity to give your car a ÅÏew look. Some bonnets have scoops built into them and are functional. Universal scoops work well (and are easy to install) on any vehicle, especially Japanese brands such as Toyota, Mazda and Mitsubishi. Usually bonnets are made of fibreglass material or you could choose to add a carbon fibre bonnet to lighten up your vehicle.
Wings, otherwise known as car spoilers, usually sit on the boot of your car and redirect where the air flows. Wings alone will get your vehicle the looks and an appeal of a race car. This is probably why they are the most popular of car accessories.
For many, aerodynamics really factor into the body kit decision. Keeping a car aerodynamic is what most body kit enthusiasts are all about. Aerodynamics involves letting the wind fly over and around a car with the least amount of effort and in the freest way possible. The biggest factors prove to be the spoilers, bonnet materials and overall car shape. While most people just buy aerodynamic material to purely make their car more pleasing to the eye, many purchase with the intent of attaining higher speeds. Some items that are popular in this area are bonnet scoops, roof scoops and spoilers.
Bonnet and roof scoops allow for the look of a total transformation with the involvement of just a couple of minutes of installation time. The scoops are usually dual or single and rise up to several mm off a car. On the streets, they are more for show, as most cars come equipped with suitable ways to avoid overheating. While they wonÃÕ help with most cooling systems, a bonnet or roof scoop will make a car more aerodynamic as it allows wind to slide easily over the car making it easier to drive faster.
There are numerous decisions that could be made to get the look desired and it is always possible to have any car looking the way you want with quality materials.
Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2007 9:03 am Post subject: Bodykits - Technical and Resources
US manufacturers
Aerogear
AEROGEAR Titan Aggressor Series Body Kits for Lexus GS300
Aerogear Body Kits were developed and designed for today's ever growing and changing import car scene. Aerogear body kits and hoods are developed and designed towards what you, the consumer, demand which is superior quality, style, and service. All Aerogear ground effects kits are manufactured from hand laid fiberglass using a poly-vinyl ester resin mixture. Each body kit part is then gel coated in a "baby blue" finish. All Aerogear products are then tagged with an aluminum identification badge which is individually serial numbered.
Aerogear prides itself on a new innovation of style and design. It is our pledge to create body kits, fenders, hoods, spoilers and side skirts that stand out of a crowd. All Aerogear body kits are backed with a lifetime limited warranty. Always look for the official Aerogear identification badge on every kit, then "you know its real", and remember to fill out and send in your warranty card to activate your warranty.
Aerogear Body Kits are designed for aftermarket use and are recommended for show use only. These parts are not recommended for city or highway use. The customer is responsible and assumes any liability if product is used for other than its intended purpose.
AG-1301-B AEROGEAR Titan Aggressor Series - Front Bumper Cover (Full Bumper Replacement) - Lexus GS300 93-97 Reg: $300.90 Sale: $225.90
Aerogear Bodykits and ground effects including Predator series hoods, Hybryd 2 kits, Battle Series and Millennium Body Kits.
AG-1302-B AEROGEAR Titan Aggressor Series - Side Skirts (Pair) - Lexus GS300 93-97 Reg: $250.90 Sale: $187.90
Aerogear Bodykits and ground effects including Predator series hoods, Hybryd 2 kits, Battle Series and Millennium Body Kits.
AG-1303-B AEROGEAR Titan Aggressor Series - Rear Bumper Cover (Full Bumper Replacement) Lexus GS300 93-97 Reg: $300.90 Sale: $225.90
L-Sportline
TRD
Wald
Vis
93-97 Lexus GS300/400 4dr Cyber Front Bumper
VIS Racing Sports Inc was established in 1996 and based in Southern California. Vis body kits are well known to fit great without a lot of extra fibreglass work. VIS Racing is one of the hottest manufacturers of performance parts in the industry. VIS has been very successful due to its passion for and understanding of import vehicles that only a car lover can possess. Teaming up with a knowledgeable vendor that stocks VIS components can ensure a successful modification project.
Admire
GS300 Admire Style Body Kit
BRAND NEW 93-97 Lexus GS300 Admire Style Body Kit!
This kit is made out of high quality fibreglass. The full kit includes:
1 front bumper,
1 pair of side skirts, and
1 rear bumper.
The fibreglass is covered with blue gel coat for flexibility which will reduce the possibility of cracks through rough vibration movements compared to other fibreglass companies! No Predrilled holes for better fitment. They come with everything! The GS300 is already a head turner; now make those heads stay turned while you drive by. We only use the top quality fibreglass in all of our products which means you will get only the best.
Erebuni
Continued ... _________________
1996 Aristo JZS147 Series 2
Last freaked with by infotechplus on Tue Oct 09, 2007 9:11 am; freaked 2 times in total
Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2007 9:07 am Post subject: Bodykits - Technical and Resources
Links
This list is all-inclusive, and has listings for manufacturers other than for the JZS147/GS300. Some sites have English options, others you just have to try your luck. I've deleted quite a few irrelevant sites from this list but obviously haven't been able to go through all of them. Some specialise in minor items like emblems; others offer complete lines of wheels, HID kits and exhausts in addition to bodykits.
Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2007 1:45 pm Post subject: Links
I'm continuing to work my way through the list of links and weeding out those links of no use whatsoever.
Some interesting stuff amongst it though, that you don't normally see probably due to the limited nature of some of the companies' profile. Good to see a trend away from the run-of-the-mill "multicoloured text" standard of Japanese domestic websites. Some are very classy, using Flash animation. Only problem is you can't grab their photos (in some instances)!
On the Do-Luck site you can download their full colour brochure. Be patient, as it might take a minute or two to load up in Adobe Acrobat.
Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2007 4:41 pm Post subject: Final Konnexion
Now I know you've probably seen this kit 100 times before but I personally can never get enuff of it. It is one of the most elegant kits out there for the 147.
Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2007 7:35 pm Post subject: Some unusual kits
Here are some of the more unusual kits from the Link list above.
This is the JZS147 Hiro kit:
Also, if you want to download the Insurance Group color catalog you can do so via these individual links. Note that not all pages have relevant 147 information.
Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 7:40 am Post subject: Dropped
stevee wrote:
Looks like someone dropped the bloody thing from about a hundred feet !! - and it would be about as usefull as a daily as if it had been
Now you know why the land here with r00ted ball joints.
I'm not much up on the mechanicals of these things but how do they get the camber on the wheels like that? Is it easily adjustable or do they use special parts like on the Nissans to make it all adjustable?
Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2007 8:06 am Post subject: Weeding the Garden
One thing that is becoming plainly obvious looking through those links is the number of sites devoted purely to the smaller and family type wagons especially the Toyota Estima, among others.
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