When I got the Diana kit, I realized the front bumper cover couldn’t be put on until I modified the bumper (or bumper reinforcement). Luckily, I had one from Project Leopard, which was originally cut to fit the intercooler. Project Leopard is gonna have the Zenki front end and the bumper reinforcement for that bumper cover as well.
the other annoying part was the pebble beige color that covered the bottom portion. I was to lazy to get it painted, but I only wanted to put it on the car for pictures when I got it.
Finally, after catching up on a few things, I decided to give it a go and paint the bottom half Metallic grey (color of my bottom half). I also wired up the bumper lights (driving and turning).
While it was a goal (wishful thinking) to own an Diana kit, to finally have one was amazing. To get all the pieces together and mounted on my car, paint matched and lights working… there was this feeling I can’t really explain.
That genuine feeling is somewhat of excitement mixed with awe and feeling original or nostalgic. The last time I had this feeling was 23yrs ago when I got my EG civic body kit. I was the 1st one to have a body kit in my town, so that feeling wasn’t downplayed by other civics with body kits because nobody in my town had any.
It’s hard to relay that feeling because nowadays, it’s easy to buy a car that has mods already or to get parts like it is nothing. It’s not a bad thing, just that feeling of having a car to build from scratch isn’t there as much with a lot of platforms. It’s nothing to swap engines nowadays too. Think about the 1st person to swap in a motor into their car and trying to figure out how to get it all wired up.
Those discoveries have lost their intrigue as it is commonplace to swap engines, with tons of parts to help with conversion and even premade wiring harnesses. Again, image being in an era where there isn’t many swapped cars and you are the 1st.
When I put on the bumper cover and hooked up the lights, stepped back and see how it flows with the car.
That feeling hit me… The only Diana kit state side, the F31club forums highest talked about body kit….
While people wanted to make their M30 a drift car, this kit made it feel/look like a VIP style Car! Private Coupe of an F31 Diplomat.
But still incomplete as far as the project itself.
- my 18″ Leasing 4s don’t have tires (tried to get them and nobody had them)
- Fender marker lights are not installed.
- ultimate goal, Vh45de swap for that V8 throaty sound and torque.
- Lowering (I have most components, but need to have the BC coil overs rebuilt)
The biggest deal is that Project Leopard is still waiting to be taken cared of and that is where my funding is tied up. I do have extra funds to buy stuff, but the main thing is saving to complete the Project leopard.