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

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.