BodyworkFuture

Next I will be entrusting my car to evolution Motorbody, a part of evolution Motorsport (0191) 517 2152. Peter, the sprayer there, has worked on evolution's own demonstrator, their Peugeot 205 GTi 1600cc. And what a job he has done too, creating a perfect finish on the paint, and blending in a delicious Lancer EVO VI style bonnet vent. The amount of work that went into the 205 is unbelievable. Just the little things, like fitting flush door handles, took Peter and Andy weeks to figure and sort out. Anybody who can be that commited to a project can work on my car ANY time!

Anyway, enough of the advert for evolution, what is planned for my Almera? Well my car needs a roof spoiler, desperately. However, Nissan GTi stuff is not gonna cut it for me! I need something unique, hell that's what modifying is all about!! When I was at evolution Motorsport (with Jez's Astra GSi look-a-like) I had a close scrutiny of their 205, and especially the spoiler. It was a spoiler of their own design, the EVO 2K, part of their EVO 2K bodykit for the Citroen Saxo Mk1. Peter reckons with a bit of playing around, he can make it fit the Almera, sounds good to me!!

Following that I am going to need a set of sideskirts, and Peter has convinced me that the E36 BMW M3 style sideskirts, with the half twist in them, would be different. Certainly nothing I have seen before, so I may as well run with it! I hadn't even considered them as an option, but the more I thought about it, and the more I played around with PaintShop Pro, the more the idea grew on me. They are different, but not mad; they retain a subtlety which will add (hopefully) to the car's overall 'could be a complete kit' kind of look.

Following on from that I may go mental on the front bumper. I certainly love that EVO style front bumper, but it would probably be very costly to get in the UK. However, all is not lost! I may ask Peter to cut and mesh (powder coated white mesh, obviously, got a colour scheme to uphold here!) the front bumper, creating ane EVO style look. I have already purchased a SEAT Ibiza front spoiler, which is currently residing in my kitchen, to be fitted onto the front bumper, visually lowering the car another 20-30mm at the front.

Still up at the front end, I want to make a badgeless grille. I say make, as the ones currently on the market are around Ł80 plus the cost of spraying. Well, all it would take to transform the existing factory grille is a steady hand, a jogsaw and some filler. Then, some more powder coated mesh into it, and hey presto, all part of the red paint, white accessories kinda thing I have going on!

The rear bumper, well, that's kinda difficult. It's going to be a pain in the arse, quite literally! I want a rear diffuser, like those made by R&A Design, but they don't make one specifically for the Almera. Time to start taking some measurements of my car and other cars, and see if I can get one, slightly larger if I have to, and see if Peter can make it fit. However, Nissan have blessed the N15 with a wide rear end, so not all is rosy. Which is a real shame, as the diffuser would look good with the custom made twin exit exhaust I have planned

As a final, finishing touch, I would like to have the rear tailgate flushed off, so the number plate moves to the rear bumper and the hatch is free from 'clutter'. It's a mod very popular with the VW Golf Mk2 boys, and would finish off the rear a treat, in my opinion. It also has the added bonus of making the rear of the car seem lower than it actually is!!