The new Rocket Bunny Boss kit that turns unsuspecting FDs into some kind of Mazda centaur with an RX-3 head on an RX-7 body was, um, polarizing. It’s not the first new cars have been faceswapped with older fronts — as you can see from the above pair from last year’s SEMA show — and it probably won’t be the last. What’s next, an AE86 nose for your Toyota 86? A Civic CVCC mask for your NSX? A Debonair clip for your Evo? The possibilities are endless.
What nostalgic-new body kit will be next?
Bonus points if you Photoshop it! What say you, dear reader? As always, the most entertaining comment by next Monday will receive a prize. Scroll down to see the winner of last week’s QotW, “What’s the most interesting JNC throwback design cue?”
The winner this week is returning champion ahja, who made a great observation about not a specific detail on the Toyota S-FR, but its overall spirit.
Unlike almost all retro designs, the SFR evokes the Sports 800 without actually looking like a poorly executed re-release. It doesn’t attempt to mimic the 800 with details like the headlights and taillights (the cheapest and most common technique with “retro” designs), but instead the overall feel and anime-like proportions. Small wheels, narrow, upright, and cute. And again, unlike most “retro” designs, it is actually basically true to its inspiration. Fiat 500s and Minis are marketed as luxury compacts. What a joke. Beetles are behemoths and drive the wrong wheels and aren’t very robust. And all these and most other “retro” designs, including the V8 American pony/muscle car reissues just look like fake plastic bullshit that tries too hard to ape an iconic design and just gets it wrong. The SFR would be a light, *minimal* FR 2-seater that doesn’t attempt to overly replicate the styling details of the Sports 800 but instead the overall picture.
I think if SFR actually can go on sale for under $15k (somewhere I saw a rumor for $12k? …yeah right?) it may be even more impactful than the NA Miata was in overthrowing the recurring “cheap sports cars are dead” sentiment that plagues the automotive world.
Omedetou, your comment has earned you a set of decals from the JNC Shop!
Subaru XT6 Flip Up headlight kit for the Subaru BRZ I really would like to see. The flat nose front end gafted onto a BRZ body could totally work if you give Kei Miura enough cigarettes to figure it out.
any nissan to look like a ken and mary
Kp61 for the Toyota Echo … (I hope not).
I’d echo the flip-up lights conversion kits idea. Right now everyone’s ripping off the 70s, so it is inevitable that the 80s and all their cocaine-fuelled fun are next.
To be honest I think most of the nostalgic-new body kits have been done already either by the manufacturer (like the Nissan IDX or Toyota FRS) or by some after market company. Most of them really look great, show great courage but are hardly surpising after all. Skyline C10 noses on any car has been done a long time ago. Also swapping parts/front ends is something that was quite popular with the kaido racer scene so there has been a lot of the old 70s stuff swapped around. 70s is so 2015! 😉
New stuff then? Well I would say that 80s should become more appealing nowadays. So what about the return of pop up headlights in body kits? Car enthusiasts find it a shame they disappeared and Mr. Regular is renowned for flipping them up and down continuously.
So what nostalgic would make its return then?
The Toyota Sprinter Trueno AE86 for the Toyota 86 is an obvious choice but maybe a bit too obvious. What about the sleepy eyes Z31 for the Z34 then? I can’t really picture that to be cool.
Perhaps the most iconic Mazda MX5 NA bodykit with popup headlights for the Mazda MX5 ND? The NA has become a really popular platform for zero-fucks tuning (slammed, cambered, too wide wheels, giant over fenders, no interior, etc.) so why not a kit to do the same to the ND?
you maybe one IDX on the chassis of a s15 ? do the opposite path could also be a good alternative , the demand is there, the offer no
Put simply, a Toyota 86 made to look like a 2000 GT.
Done!
The ultimate Toyota throwback / homage / tribute. (Only because the 86 is the only RWD sports car that Toyota have on the market right this very minute. I mean the Corolla is a world wide hit, but trying to make a new car look like any one of the cult classics could turn out a bit awkward).
How about a Chaser with a old Cressida front end? I have done a quick photoshop to prove the point! With arches and everything! 😛
https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1530/25819430423_c835a6e929_c.jpg
Too late, but here it is…
http://www.speedhunters.com/2016/04/the-new-boss-has-arrived-pandem-fd3s-rx7/