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Jul
28
SAAB 900 Turbo Cabriolet | Bōsōzoku Style
Avid readers of Speedhunters and Japanese Nostalgic Car are familiar with the Japanese outlaw groups called 暴走族 (Bōsōzoku) and their tastefully modified vehicles. Most common base for building such vehicles are 1980’s JDM rear wheel drive sedans and coupés. However, if the owner has identified potential for an idea, just about any car might be used as a starting point and customized in one of these particular styles.
A friend recently challenged me to create a Bōsōzoku inspired photoshop chop. Instead of resorting to the popular base vehicles, I opted to start with the least likely vehicle to be modified in this outrageous style: a safe and sensible Swedish SAAB 900 Turbo Cabriolet. SAAB could be ordered with three spoke alloys from the factory and therefore Yokohama Super Advan wheels suit perfectly. Converting this classic and throwing all the visual key elements into the mix was hilarious fun. Based on the prototype of the convertible, my interpretation of a Swedish Bōsōzoku vehicle includes many elements of Shakotan, Grachan and Bōsōzoku styles. Modified bonnet, oil cooler with externally routed oil lines, custom made sideskirts and massive front splitter, classic JDM fender mirrors, riveted overfenders and wonderfully tacky exhaust setup mounted in an unusual location. But because this is still a Swedish car, there are warnings stenciled onto the pipes. Safety first!
[Disclaimer: This picture was created without any serious thoughts. No SAAB was harmed in the process.]
Jan
02
Mercedes-Benz 560 SEC AMG Widebody with Overfenders (C126)
A good friend of mine recently complained that most of my photoshop chops are side-view only. That is true, because I have more ideas than time and 3/4 view pictures need a lot more time to finish properly than the simpler side-view pictures.
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Sep
23
This is another one of those “what if” photoshop quickies. What if somebody would take a USDM Volkswagen Dasher 2-door sedan (Passat in other markets) and modify it? Slap on a set of overfenders, mount a set of coilovers and wheels in a size that has never been intended to be used on a front wheel drive car. Replace the anemic original engine with a 1.8T with a bigger turbo setup and build an exhaust with motorsport components. Once finished you should have a pretty fairly decent, water-cooled, Volkswagen. I suppose it’s safe to wager a bet that it would be the only such vehicle at any VW meet. Is there anyone crazy enough to tackle this build and take it to the Wörthersee next year?
Sep
05
A rainy sunday with cold wind gustst at the end of a super dry summer. No reason to leave the house and plenty of time to photoshop something. After fiddling around with a couple of projects that never quite get finished, I found a picture of a BMW E21 323i and immediately started modifying it. The most obvious choice would have been a BMW V8 engine swap, but because I wanted a USDM style theme on the vehicle, it made more sense to pretend that it is converted to a GM LS1 V8. The NASCAR inspired steel wheels give the car a more or less period-correct look and the overfenders add a more modern touch. The stance is a compromise between aggressive fitment and driveability – not too low, to remain functional. I removed the trim on the sides and the rear bumper and replaced them with two black stripes. The Alpina front spoiler, the rear wing and the diffusor create an aerodynamic package that has yet to be tested in a wind tunnel. This BMW E21 could be a daily driver with ample power and excellent gas mileage. Now, who wouldn’t want to have one?
Jan
10
Ever since driving an early Porsche 928 at the age of 21 I loved these futuristic but timeless grand tourers. The only thing that always bothered me design-wise was the shape of the fenders. On the later models they are wider, but still have a weird shape that make the car look strange when lowered. No worries though, as this can easily be improved with photoshop. While at it, I realized that this wouldn’t work on the real car and I had to find a solution. Overfenders have been popular to fix wheel fitment issues for decades and are now more popular than ever before. Instead of taking an exaggerated approach like Kato-san from LB Works, I designed a more subtle set of overfenders that tie into the original design of the 928 and cover the concave Forgiato wheels. To clean up the flanks, the door handles have been integrated into the side trim of the car. The air vents are integrated into the original bodywork and help to keep the brakes cool.
Originalists might cringe and prefer to look at the original picture.
Dec
22
This photoshop chop took way longer to finish than all the other pictures I created this year. It all started with looking at a Peugeot 504 brochure from the 1970’s in January. Having always loved the Pininfarina-penned styling of the coupé and convertible, I wondered why there are no tastefully modified cars out there. These vehicles are not even too expensive to buy, despite having a history of motorsport ventures in rallye and racing. As always, the “what if (I had the money)” question followed immediately and all kinds of crazy modification ideas popped up in my mind. However, modifying this elegant coupé without messing up the lines completely posed a challenge. In the end I went with a retro-inspired theme the Japanese call works style. Imagine an engine with substantially more power, modern suspension and brakes. This necessitates larger wheels and a set of overfenders to cover them. I tried to keep them subtle and close to the original design of the fenders. Finding a period-correct design for the wheels also was a challenge. Campagnolos work well with the larger diameter and the conversion to the rather large Peugeot PCD. A good friend of mine suggested to add a ventilation flap on the roof, similar to the classic Jaguar E-Type race cars, and I happily adopted this brilliant idea. The hash marks on the fenders are Peugeot Talbot Sport colors from the early 1980’s, keeping with the idea that a conversion like this might have been built when this was just an affordable used car.
Fine art prints will be available early in 2018. Make sure to pre-order soon, as this will be a limited edition of only 73 numbered and signed pieces. The prints are without watermarks.
Click here to see the original picture.
Dec
04
This was another one of those 15 minute challenges: create a camper van or RV that would be fun to drift, if equipped with an engine that makes suitable torque and horsepower. I started looking for a base picture to begin the photoshop chop. The Roadtrek 210 Popular, based on the rear wheel drive V8 Chevrolet Express Van, has a very nice and sporty looking body kit that accomodates a set of overfenders nicely. With a set of Watanabe-style wheels that are converted to an 8-lug pattern and a healthy drop in ride height this beast might take you to the race track, provide all kinds of drifting fun during the day and living quarters for the night. You would have to secure all your cutlery and other items very securely for the drift sessions, though. 😉
PS: It could also be a nice and capable tow-rig for a drift car.
Oct
08
A friend of mine came up with the idea of converting a Nissan Skyline GT-R35 to transport a motorcycle in style. And hey, why shouldn’t you want to do do just that? All you need is a GT-R35, right? Measure the motorcycle, in this case a Kawasaki Ninja H2R, and figure out how you want it to sit once loaded. I prefer to have it flowing with the lines of the car, so I located it rather low. It should still clear the rear axle, though. Now just get the cutting tools out and have fun slicing this fine sportscar into various pieces. Extend the wheelbase, fabricate some panels and you’re almost finished. This is what I thought and the result didn’t please me one bit, to be honest. Therefore I went to the additional trouble of adding a set of butterfly doors à la Mazda RX-8 and a set of overfenders for the rear wheels. So far so good – but the conversion wouldn’t be complete without lowering and a set of nice Forgiato wheels and Pirelli P Zero tires. And while we are at it, we might as well add brakes from the Liberty Walk Lamborghini Murcielago for good measure to slow it down properly. Do you think Kato-san would approve?
Now load up your sportsbike, strap it down securely and have fun! 🙂
Oct
07
For a very long time I wanted to photoshop a Land Rover Defender but for some reason or another I never did. Today I thought about it again and went to work on it immediately. Starting with a plain 110 Utility Wagon I lifted it substantially, added bigger wheels with BF Goodrich Mud Terrain tires, relocated the overfenders for more clearance and cut the rear quarter panel for a better departure angle. Winch and snorkel are a must on any 4×4 in my opinion, but I went a different route with the roof rack. Instead of utilizing the old fashioned style, I tried to create an integrated and more aerodynamic version complete with spare tire and jerrycans. To finish it off, I added a blue camouflage design. Now… I’d love to hop in, take it off-road and get it dirty.
Click here to see the original picture.
Apr
30
Out of pure curiousity I wanted to know what a Mercedes-Benz C107 450 SLC would look like as a shooting break. However, midway throught the project I decided to create a panel van of the MAMPE Lufthansa Cocktail liveried racecar instead of the civilian shooting break. 😉
Nov
23
In case you’re not a friend of the Saharabeige BMW 2002 Turbo Panel Wagon, here is a different version for you: medium grey with M-colored turbo stripes. Instead of placing them on the usual location on the front fender, I opted to put it on the door. This creates a nice mirror-like effect with the A-pillar, which is almost shaped like an arrowhead pointing in the direction of travel. Next up will be an El Camino style pick-up. Stay tuned!
Check out the BMW 2002 4-door touring this conversion is based on.