Experimental

[growler_south]

The Piazza/Impulse is a nice shape with some incredible attention to detail- Isuzu didnt cut many corners bringing Guiguaro's design to production.
They did, however, stuff up a few things. The doorhandles are particularly irritating, puncturing the otherwise smooth wedge-shaped panel below the keyline. And the door lock cylinder! slapped on below the door handle. Originally the Piazza was to have concealed doorlatches like the early Fiat Uno, but I guess Isuzu had a whole box of I-Mark handles to use up.



So I'm moving them. Keeping the original handles, but shifting them up so they interrupt the keyline rather than the panel below. I'll be deleting the door lock. (I'll use the remote, and should the battery go flat I can use the tailgate lock.)



I think the result is far more in keeping with the car's '80s futuristic look, and since Ive got a couple of spare doors to practise on, I figure why not?

Comments

[smellykaka.livejournal.com]

I think they're fairly nice looking cars as it is, with the exception of the wheels.

[growler-south.livejournal.com]

the wheels are ultimate '80s though. Anything else just looks out of place.

[pa747sp.livejournal.com]

2 things.

Firstly, I agree. The Piazza was probably one of Guigaros best 80s designs.

Secondly, you amaze me. I don't know anyone else who would attempt such a thing. I'm impressed.

Now send me some photos of you doing the work. Naked.

teehee

[whiskerfish.livejournal.com]

I have a couple of those, however, I can not share, only tease.

Re: teehee

[sinnabor.livejournal.com]

I got an unnamed third party to share them with me, making me feel very naughty.

Re: teehee

[growler-south.livejournal.com]

The fun thing is that I've sent them to only 5 people, and each set is slightly different. So when they turn up on the net I'll know who the leak is. TeeHee indeed... :-)

Re: teehee

[beg1n.livejournal.com]

clever cub.

Re: teehee

[growler-south.livejournal.com]

Naughty Jeff.

Re: teehee

[beg1n.livejournal.com]

I'm liking the new icons btw :)

Re: teehee

[growler-south.livejournal.com]

So am I! been a paid member for a while, just never got around to making more :-)

shaved or frenched, I can't remeber.

[whiskerfish.livejournal.com]

I am not sure what will be tougher - the panel work - or all the fidgety bits that actually lock/unlock/latch/unlatch the door.
Cutting the panel and creating that little indentation to scooch yr hand under the handle is gonna be tricky work. How good are you at TIG or MIG wielding? Those patches are gonna have to be smooth, like butter and controlling the heat on that sheet metal is gonna work you last nerve. How about this: French them in!!! You know, like they do in chop and drop cars.
Remove the handle and latch assy., cover over the indentation with some fibreglass and epoxy, then replace the old unit with a new power one that uses a transponder/proximity sensor. The transponder goes in your pocket or wallet, the proximity sensor on the electric door lock actuator unlocks and pops the door open a crack as you approach.
The flanks of your car would then be totally clean and the WOW factor would be way up there.
Good luck.
see here for basic idea: http://www.rodandcustommagazine.com/howto/32199/

Re: shaved or frenched, I can't remeber.

[growler-south.livejournal.com]

Shaved. Frenched is when you sink something (usually lights) below/flush with the panels surface. Piazzas already have frenched indicator lights :-)



Remote door poppers are illegal here- you have to have some form of externally operable handle or button in case of emergency. Which doesnt address the issue that if the door is LOCKED then the external handle is inoperative anyway, but thats legislation for ya. Many shaved cars extend the door lock linkage up past the window rubber, and put an interior lock knob on it. Press down on the knob to open the door. But its tacky and nasty. I could use a solenoid and hide the button on the wing mirror, but I kinda like the semi-stock look of having the original doorhandle.

I dont need to create the indentation- I've already got one :-) I'll use an Edma hand nibbler to cut around the existing indentation, cut a new hole of the right shape higher up, and weld the old indentation in where I want it to be. There will be some minor fussing with the keyline, getting it to blend smoothly, but nothing I havent done before. Then I'll just make up a curved panel to fill the hole where the doorhandle used to be.

IMAGE DELETED

Kinda hard to see in this shot, but the fuel filler cap, and its matching indentation, on the right of the rear deck was originally from a Rover P6. I had better shots but they went when my laptop got nicked.

ACTUALLY hang on!! Ive got a backup CD here at work...




OH MY GOD.
This is too funny.

Look for my next post.

Re: shaved or frenched, I can't remeber.

[growler-south.livejournal.com]

Oh, and now im not distracted by the retro twinkie flashback moment:

The fiddly bits inside will consist of cutting the actuator link rod and extending it by welding a piece of tube in. Easy.

And I'm very good at MIG and TIG. (Though my stainless TIG skills could use some work.) I have no apprehension about the panel work, especially as I have a few doors to play with. As I'm going to butt-weld the indentation into the door, I'll need to be careful to compensate for the welds shrinking as they cool. However the keyline should stabilise the panel in that area. If I'm lucky.

[sinnabor.livejournal.com]

Aren't there some cars around that use a flush module where the top half is handle, and the bottom half is a little spring-loaded flap that you push in to reach under the handle?

Could you get one of those and mount it?

Trying to build in the little stamped-sheet-metal cup sounds painful and fussy.

I like Fish's idea. Simple to do, even better looking.

[growler-south.livejournal.com]

oh gawd no, the spring-loaded concealer flap is even more complicated and ugly, not to mention the risk of getting your fingers stuck...

[beastbriskett.livejournal.com]

I too was wondering about the internals, and how the move would munge up the mechanism. This is a nice mod! Willya show us as you go along?

[growler-south.livejournal.com]

I shall indeed, when I get around to it!! the rate the rest of the car is progressing, I expect to be done sometime around november?

[gregorbehr.livejournal.com]

Cool!
I'm impressed that you know how to move door handles to begin with.
I sure as hell wouldn't have a clue!

Second... a flash back to my youth! My girlfriend in high school... had an 84 Gold Impluse. Of course she had custome plates, 24K IMP.
Always did think it was a very cool car! :)

[growler-south.livejournal.com]

thats because it WAS a cool car. In a slow, overpriced, bad-handling but looked good kinda way :-)

[gregorbehr.livejournal.com]

Hmmm, kinda like me :)

[f8n-begorra.livejournal.com]

You're not slow
*ducks*

[gregorbehr.livejournal.com]

I see those stocky legs of yours peaking out from under the bed.
GET BACK OUT FROM THERE!

[f8n-begorra.livejournal.com]

(I haven't had my knuckles rapped by a nun in decades...)

[gregorbehr.livejournal.com]

Oh, what about your balls tied up and slapped around?

[boofbiker.livejournal.com]

It was a fun car to drive when i was in NZ, However I did wish the windows were tinted with that lovely rattling sound it made. Thank god thats fixed

[bleepkeeper.livejournal.com]

I'm with whiskerfish: I think they'd look best gone. But since that's illegal, and since they're never going to really blend in well (and since welding across the keyline would be a big PITA), what about using something like the handles off a 350z?

[growler-south.livejournal.com]

The other thought was Mazda Miata handles- tiny and discreete, though theyd have to be painted first.


And you're both right, it would look best with them entirely removed... I'm wondering about a button-operated solenoid.

[dozerbull.livejournal.com]

I remember test driving one of those in near Nags Head. The Sales man kept touting the "Suspension by Lotus".

[growler-south.livejournal.com]

...which means you test drove an '88 or '89 model. Lotus did a good job, making the car handle as best it could, but theres only so much you can do to disguise diabolical weight distribution. You cannae change the laws of physics...