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Without taking myself too seriously, I like to think my automotive values have a could-be-oem aesthetic. You know what I mean, right? Visual mods that takes someone in the know to appreciate something is different or unique. And with my G, I think I've mostly adhered to that model. Err, mostly.
Except now my calipers are orange. That whole OEM-ish thing is out the window. I've jumped the shark.
So I have to own that, and that's fine, I love my orange calipers. However, doing this made me come back to something that I grew up with, which is putting the Firebird logo everywhere, LOL. And no, I'm not saying put a firebird decal on my car, because as much as that idea makes me smile it would just be stupid. I can't do that. Imagine a giant orange screaming chicken on my hood.
Anyway, I don't want any more lettering, no text... already have my 4DSC decal on the window, (which if you don't know is itself is a long story.) And I've debadged the G37S emblem on the trunk. So in thinking what kind of adornment would I do to the car to draw out the orange, I'm thinking about some kind of symbol... like the Fast Intentions twin-flame logo. Having the FI logo on the car somewhere is something I've thought about now and then.
Anybody have any ideas? Here's a recent pic of my car.
I say no, doesn't matter what it would be of. I think it would take away from the clean look of the car.
See that's something I would typically say. No gold chain necessary, just the lines of the car and things that work with the lines of the car. I totally get that. But like I said, the calipers are orange now, which means there's an accent of color adorning the overall look. And don't get me wrong, I adore the orange powdercoated calipers. I think they're freaking gorgeous. Except what they did was give me pause for more. Does that make sense? I know it's a lot of psycho-babble, but I've got lots of time on my hands, LOL.
When I say "fender graphic", I'm not alluding to the large double stripe from the edge of the hood to the wheel well. That's a Dodge thing, and it's way too much. Particularly for a sedan. I'm just thinking of something small, which is why I keep coming back to the Fast Intentions logo. Just the little double-flame by itself somewhere. And not red or gray, but orange in matching with the whole creamsicle thing I've got going on.
Also, there's no wrong response, just opinions. Sometimes an idea needs to be talked through in order to dismiss it, so if I talk myself down from this idea, that's fine too.
Anyway, the FI logo here, in orange, somewhere on the car like the C-pillar, or the front fender. IDK... just rolling the idea around.
I can easily photoshop this. Anyone have anything to say about either?
Pretty sure I don't care for it on the lower rear door. I like the c-pillar location, but it's also more obvious there. Which brings me back to the front fender.
Can’t help much because if I’d do something like this, it’d be a factory badge. I think the GT fender badge that came on R33s and R34s would look kinda cool. But that breaks your rules.
If the graphic is very simple and small, it’ll look good. I’m talking you should almost miss it. Too big, too colorful, too complicated, etc starts to make the car look like a Pep Boys special or teenager’s arts and crafts project.
What else can you give us to riff off of? Themes, ideas, interests, etc
Last edited by STownSaint; 05-25-2024 at 09:49 AM.
If the graphic is very simple and small, it’ll look good. I’m talking you should almost miss it. Too big, too colorful, too complicated, etc starts to make the car look like a Pep Boys special or teenager’s arts and crafts project.
What else can you give us to riff off of? Themes, ideas, interests, etc
Yes, Pep Boys is to be avoided. IDK what the line is between tacky and tasteful, but I do know where Pep Boys falls on that line. So I get what you're saying. Tasteful... that's the right word. Something tasteful, something small, and after this caliper project... something orange.
IDK about themes, ideas and interests. If I had some kind of other hobby passion in my life, I could speak to that. But I'm 60 now, and genuinely kind of boring. So the only real self-expression hobby I've got going on these days is the car itself. I toyed with the myG37.com logo, but don't really want it.
I also toyed with this idea... which is the Rochester Skyline, LOL Get it? Fun play-on words and all, but no. Hard no.
Funny you've got the itch to do this. My only "almost stock" move on our old '05 and '06 was clear corners. Now we're driving bone stock his and hers '13s.
That said, looking at your photoshopping I am surprised to say that I have a clear preference. And that would be the spot between the front wheel and the front door. That seems like the most natural place for something, IMO.
Coming from a similar era as you @Rochester, I have always had a soft spot for flames.
I've often wondered what it would look like to have a set of very subtle flames painted on the fender that are just a couple shades darker than the body color. Almost transparent.
My fear would be that this would start an obsession and I'd end up with a Ghost Rider mural on the hood!
I also love the this custom look, but this is really an all or nothing that leaves OEM+ somewhere as a distant memory: Color Splash Vehicle Graphics Wrap
There are some pretty talented and artistic sellers on Etsy. I bet someone has already thought of the subtle flames approach and is rocking it on their BRZ.
When I was young and driving a '82 Trans Am, I had some custom paint work done. Specifically, the center of the hood was done in gloss black over and around the nose. It looked absolutely fantastic on my red car, and it looked like it came that way from the factory. I also had the flat black rear spoiler painted gloss black, because in 1982 it came in flat black for some strange reason. Anyway, I always had this idea of gradually thinning vertical lines after the fender vents, as a kind of digital flame effect. Never did it, however.
So I'm casually searching the net for something that catches my eye. Nothing yet except the Fast Intentions logo, and I'm not all gotta-have-it over that one. It's just the closest I've gotten to something appealing.
@ILM-NC G37S no worries. Speak your mind, man. This is just an idea, not a plan. Well, not yet, LOL.
Originally Posted by 13_SkylineSedan
That said, looking at your photoshopping I am surprised to say that I have a clear preference. And that would be the spot between the front wheel and the front door. That seems like the most natural place for something, IMO.
I agree. That seems the right spot for... something. IDK what yet.
Originally Posted by STownSaint
Stole the U of Roch logo for this one
I'm a graduate of Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), class of '88. UR didn't have a computer science program nearly as advanced as RIT did in the 80's.
When I was young and driving a '82 Trans Am, I had some custom paint work done. Specifically, the center of the hood was done in gloss black over and around the nose. It looked absolutely fantastic on my red car, and it looked like it came that way from the factory. I also had the flat black rear spoiler painted gloss black, because in 1982 it came in flat black for some strange reason. Anyway, I always had this idea of gradually thinning vertical lines after the fender vents, as a kind of digital flame effect. Never did it, however.
I can’t picture that? On a red car, the hood and front fascia was gloss black? I thought all Trans Ams of that vintage had birds on the hood?
Update: Just realized that 82' was the newer “Knight Rider” body style. We've discussed this before in other threads.
I still maintain no for anything sticker wise or the like. If you're feeling like you need a splash of colour, what about vinyl wrapping the mirror caps the same colour as your calipers? My crappy paint attempt:
05-24-2024, 04:48 PM
That whole OEM-ish thing is out the window. I've jumped the shark.
