ER34 at the painters ..... again

Pic 1: ER34 at the painters

Yeap. I've already sent the ER34 to the painters to get my BNR34 rear spoiler fitted. I can't bloody wait to see the end results. I bet it will be smashing. While there, I've also gotten them to fix up my IMPUL 534S front bumper. After the HKS intercooler fitting, the lines of the bumper didn't really match the body lines perfectly due to the intercooler end tanks pressing against the bumper. I've really got to fix that up else it'll look weird (to me at least).

Pic 2: Re-trimming the front bumper openings


Pic 3: Wire mesh redone and "guide-tapes" to re-trim the openings

So I got them to shave off a wee bit of the inner part of the bumper and also to reshape the crude cut lines on the bumper air dams to clear the intercooler piping properly. The wire mesh were also reworked and recut to *ahem* professional standards. So that warrants a repaint of the front bumper. :P

Since the ER34 is at the workshop, I've also took the opportunity to get the inner side of my hood painted as highlighted in this blog entry.

Pic 3: Rear spoiler-less also have its appeal

Getting back to the BNR34 rear spoiler fitment, the holes does line up perfectly against the stock ER34 rear spoiler mounting holes. The middle plastic holder thingy is of a very slight difference in shape BUT that can be easily rectified via swapping between the two spoilers. Easy peasy. So basically it's plug and play. Superb!

Pic 4: BNR34 rear spoiler already painted and dried

I was there during the test fitment and it's such a drag that the base outline does not match thus exposing the dirt and grime the stock ER34 rear spoiler left behind. Well I can always just touch-up that exposed portion but then the colour matching would be a little off. I'll never be satisfied with that so what else is there to do but to repaint the whole boot! Darn, being fussy always have its price. :(

The ER34 has been at the shop for the past 7 days and it'll take two or three days more to get it all done-up perfectly. Tomorrow, the boot and hood will be painted (I hope!). :)

Somehow I think I treat the ER34 way too well. Heck, I've already lost count of the number of times I got the front bumper repainted. Now I'm a wee bit worried about the price to pay for all these. Yikes!

Pic 5: Unsightly dirt and grime / mounting points of the rear spoiler


Pic 6: Test fitment


Pic 7: Oh darn! It didn't completely cover up all those gunk


Pic 8: This is how the ER34 will look like once done


Pic 9: Pretty neat eh?

'Takata' green IMPUL wheels on ER34??

Pic 1: Green IMPUL wheels on ER34???

Lately I've been fantasizing about having green wheels on the ER34. Of course the Volk Racing TE37 in green would be wicked but those wheels costs a fortune new or used. And I'm not about to paint a nice set of TE37 into green colour.

Thus the quest begins by looking at other alternative, i.e. Taiwanese made replica TE37s and other wheels that bears a close resemblance to it. This is where the IMPUL wheels comes in. I found a set of the IMPUL wheels (as used in the IMPUL 534S!) offshore. Cost to ship the wheels back to my home port sounds pretty reasonable thus I'm wondering whether I should take the plunge.

Now, a couple of people says I'm stupid to take off my Work Emotion XD9 wheels and plonk in green colour wheels which some people commented will look extremely riceboy (Ah Beng).

But what do you (my readers) think? Your comments (bad or good) appreciated as I'm now at a stumbling block. :(

ER34 Photoshoot #02

Pic 1: Side profile

Pursuant to my earlier post on photoshoot of the ER34, here is the second set of photos as promised. It looks like it's shot inside a studio eh?

What do you think? Comments welcomed.

Pic 2: Rear shot

Pic 3: Front view

Pic 4: Side view

Pic 5: Rear view

ER34 photoshoot #01

Pic 1: The ER34 with new clothes on :P

Here's the first set of photos from a quick photoshoot. The clouds were a bit dark and cloudy at the time; I think it made the photos looked better. Try to study the lines of the bodykit that joins seamlessly with those of the ER34. Very subtle and very OE indeed.

I hope these pictures will give you an idea of how the IMPUL 534S bodykit looked like overall. There will be a second set of pictures coming soon shot in another location.

Comments welcomed.

Pic 2: Front 3/4 view

Pic 3: Rear 3/4 view

Pic 4: Note how the bonnet lines join the bumper

Pic 5: Note how the rear bumper line and side skirt line matches that of the body

Pic 6: Rear bumper has an 'apron' of sort

Pic 7: Front 3/4 view

Pic 8: Front 3/4 view

Pic 9: Front 3/4 view

Pic 10: Side view

Pic 11: Front 3/4 view

Pic 12: The insides of the boot were repainted as well

Pic 13: Clean engine bay

Pic 14: Repainted engine bay

Pic 15: Repainted engine bay

ER34 is out from the painters

Pic 1: The ER34 being washed before another layer of wax are applied

Yes I know. Finally the ER34 is done at the painters. After calculating, it has spent 28 days at the paint shop. Yes it is extensive work but you've got to see the car to believe the amount of tender loving care that has been put in. The entire exterior of the car is painted, the engine bay, the inner side of the boot, all rusts been removed and even quite a number of metal black parts in the engine bay are painted.

To top if off, after it was all done, the ER34 was groomed with Meguair's Professional Series and also Autoglym products. As a final touch before the car was released to me, it was further treated with Meguair's NXT Generation® Tech Wax™. The car now gets some great water beading action whenever it rains. :P

Pic 2: Final layer of wax with Meguair's NXT Generation® Tech Wax™

For the readers out there, if you need to paint your car or just do any touch up, email me and I'll pass you the contact. You'll not regret it. If they are good enough to prep and install TechArt bodykits to Porsches and the likes, the workmanship can be assured to be top notch.

I'm really satisfied with the work done. Too bad I can't take any nice shots of the car as I'll be overseas again tomorrow. So guess I'll have to find time to take photoshoot the car when I'm back sometime next week.

Here are some pictures I took today....... :)

Pic 3: Yea many people is working on the car :P

Pic 4: Like "Karate Kid", wax on, wax off.....

Pic 5: The ER34 looks new inside out eh?

Pic 6: Engine bay looks like it had just rolled off the production line

ER34 makeover update

Pic 1: The ER34 in the spray booth - front view

Popped by my painter today to take a look at how the ER34 is doing. She is finally painted after 13 days with my painter. Geeez! Told you he is slow with his work. LOL :D

I guess it will be end week before I get hold of her. There's still a lot to be done before the ER34 is ready to hit the roads. Oh by the way, I've sold off my IMPUL 534S front bumper. Instead I've replace it with my other spare unit. Yes I have 2 of the bumpers. :P

Here are some pictures of her in the spray paint booth after an hour or so after painting.

Pic 2: The ER34 in the spray booth - rear view

Pic 3: The front of the ER34

Pic 4: The rear of the ER34

Pic 5: My new front and rear bumpers :)

For Sale: IMPUL 534S front bumper and GTT rear spoiler

I am letting go my IMPUL 534S front bumper and the original ER34 rear spoiler. If you are interested, kindly email me via eujin[at]hotmail[dot]com.

I'm sure you know how both items look like, so no pictures are necessary.

Many thanks. :)

A lonesome IMPUL 534S Front Bumper?

Many people have commented that the IMPUL 534S front bumper looked very good on the ER34. I have yet to come across another ER34 in Malaysia with the same bumper that is running around on the street. :)

Some have mentioned the ER34 looked a little weird without side skirts and a rear bumper to match. So I was just thinking out loud, are fitting in the IMPUL 534S rear bumper and side skirts needed to make the ER34 complete? The full bodykit also comprises of a GT style rear wing which I am not keen about though.

Do share your thoughts on what should I do via the comments function.

Should I:-

1) Source for the IMPUL 534S rear bumper and side skirts?
2) Just leave it as it is......
3) Do some other things? Ok do what? Suggest to me pls.........

So I'll look at the comments by the end of May 2008 and shall decide to do what my readers suggested me to do.

The power is in your hands.......

PS. No, I do not wish to convert to the BNR34 look!

Pic 1: Front of the 534S

Pic 2: Rear of the 534S

Wire mesh into IMPUL 534S Front Bumper

When I got the IMPUL 534S front bumper, I noticed that the side 2 openings have no wire mesh in it. It was meant and designed to be such thus I installed it as it is.

When the time has come for me to repair and repaint the major scrape I had with the bumper, I took the opportunity to add in wire mesh into the 2 openings. The wire mesh installed are actually meant for Porsche models (my paint shop guy has some lying around).

It's definitly not noticible with or without the wire mesh but now I can be assured that I won't have a pile of dried leaves stuck in there after a nice long countryside drive. Or perhaps a dead cat or two. :P

Pic 1: Drivers side (braided lines for oil cooler visible)

Pic 2: Passenger side (feeds air into the side mounted intercooler)

IMPUL bumper hurt pretty bad ....

I made lots of effort to avoid taking the ER34 to places that the front bumper may not clear. Unfortunately my luck ran out 2 days ago. I took the car to a friends' place and the roads leading into the condominium and out of the condominium was under some construction works.

The roads were pretty bad and if that's not enough, on the way out, the IMPUL front bumper got a menacing scrape with the tarmac. The road had a sudden dip and right ahead of the dip, the ground was raised; thus accentuating the situation.

Sigh.... was not feeling too happy about it until today. :(

Here's how bad it is........

Pic 1: The damage

Pic 2: A closer look

Impul 534S Front Bumper

Yes I finally got rid of the B13 Sentra looking front bumper on my ER34. That piece of crappy sissy looking factory bumper has been bugging me ever since I got the car.

Initially my heart was set on the factory option Altia front bumper. I loved that bumper and everyday I curse myself for not getting an ER34 fitted with that optional bumper. However as time passes on, more and more ER34s are registered on the road with the Altia bumper making it less of an 'attraction' to me.

Exploring the options out there, I was looking at the offerings from C-West, Do-Luck, NISMO and IMPUL. My heart finally set on the IMPUL bumper for it's simplicity in design and more of a factory look albeit on the more aggressive side.

Pic 1: IMPUL 534S front bumper arrived!


Pic 2: Beyond the bubble wrap it unfolds....


Pic 3: Front view


Pic 4: Rear view


Pic 5: IMPUL logo at the back of the bumper

The IMPUL 543S bumper was procured from Japan and shipped over. All in, the cost was way more than my expectation. Damn!! I over budgeted myself.....again! :(

The bumper spend some time at my painters' place to be cemented smooth prior to painting works and fitting. Some custom brackets need to be fabricated to fit the bumper onto the body. The upper mount screw holes does not align as well as the screw holes for the under carriage plastic splash guard. Luckily the guys at my painters did an excellent job fabricating brackets after brackets to produce a factory clean look.

Pic 6: Cementing it smooth


Pic 7: Smooth as silk after my painter finished with it


Pic 8: Some of the brackets to be fabricated


Pic 9: New versus old


Pic 10: The trial fitting

I got a clearance of 5 inches with the IMPUL 534S bumper and with a long front overhang, that doesn't spell too good when going up and down parking ramps. Speed humps are not an issue at all (thus far!) but I've already scraped the bumper coming down parking ramps on the very first day it was fitted. :(

Here are some pictures of the IMPUL 534S front bumper.
So what do you think??

Pic 11: Front 3/4 view


Pic 12: Front view


Pic 13: Side view


Pic 14: Clearance issue


Pic 15: My 1st bumper scrape. Car park ramp at my house. :(