IMPUL Emblem

Pic 1: IMPUL Emblem

I've been looking for this IMPUL emblem for quite a long time and finally got my hands on one. Needless to say this is a pretty rare find. Need it on my grille to add a complete touch to the IMPUL 534S bodykit. With the addition of this emblem, the front now looks more finished in my eyes.

Pic 2: IMPUL Emblem

This screws on the grille and thus is pretty secure to keep away peeps with itchy fingers, who loves to flick emblems.

Shall it be the only emblem on the car or do I need another lettered IMPUL emblem at the rear? I have actually bought the lettered IMPUL emblem and it's awaiting shipment in from Japan. Hmmm.....

Pic 3: Against the Grille

Pic 4: Halfway through fitment

Pic 5: Fitment Done

Pic 6: Fitment Done

Pic 7: Frontal Look

   

Video: IMPUL Showroom In Japan

I think by now, a lot of my readers know that I'm a big fan of IMPUL. :)

IMPUL is probably most famous for its racing car, CALSONIC IMPUL GT-R. Who can forget the iconic blue BNR32 that dominated the Japan Grand Touring Car Championship?

Founded on 1980 by Nissan's legendary factory driver Kazuyoshi Hoshino, IMPUL exclusively produces aftermarket parts for Nissan cars, and runs a motorsports team "Hoshino Racing" for Super GT and Formula races in Japan.

Achievements of Hoshino is historic. Having himself as a driver, he won JGTC (ex SuperGT) series championship 3 years in a row from 1993 through 1995. Seen on the below video, the 1:4 scale miniature racing car of R32 Nissan GT-R was a gift from Carlos Ghosn, Nissan's President, praising Hoshino's contribution to Nissan and Japanese motorsports.

I am still mighty pleased when he signed my Kyosho 1:18 scale model of the BNR32 CALSONIC IMPUL GT-R in 2008. Pics can be seen here. :)

Check out the below video of a tour around the IMPUL showroom in Japan.

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

Rust at strut tower area

Pic 1: Time for polishing....

I just drop by my painter to check on the ER34. The newly painted ER34 just started it's polishing process and all the new body parts have been painted as well. Now, we are waiting for the delivery of new wire mesh for the front bumper. I've left it open before and scooped up crazy amount of leaves during our hill drives. So lesson learned; best to wire mesh up your air dams. :)

Pic 2: Some rust at the strut tower area

On another development, there were some rust on the strut tower area in the engine bay which were there when I got the car. Since the ER34 is at the painters', might as well get it sorted once and for all. Of course some part of the engine bay will be repainted. As you can imagine, this will take an additional couple of days.

Looks like she is going to be stuck at the painters for another week before it is all done up. Since I'll be flying off abroad tonite, I think I'll only be able to see the final outcome on the 4th week of this month. Shucks!!

Pic 3: Spoiler-less also looks good eh?

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 :)