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Posted: Thu Dec 30, 2010 10:20 pm
by Piazza_man
I'm all hardened and flexed up now. With my 195cm and 120kg frame that shouldn't be hard to do. Besides I ran out of kleenex tissues. :binky:

Seriously, you make it sound so easy. Maybe I should keep an eye out for pristine slushbox versions.

Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2010 6:21 am
by wedgenut
Fark me, not only do you need a manual, at 195cm you need a sunroof as well :finga: And at 120kg to go with that vertical advantage let me call you sir your hugeness.
Honestly it isn't hard, easier than any front wheel drive crap. The Piazza was made in the days when all body shells were made the same to suit either non turbo or turbo and auto or manual. The normal approach is to buy a nice auto and a rust bucket manual. Hey presto you have all the bits you need. You might even gat a decent clutch kit out of the donor as well and it will be a cheap conversion.
If you do decide to do do a conversion make a note to talk to me as there is one little sneaky thing you need to know about the pedal box change that I won't go into now.
Good luck with the hunt

Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2010 8:05 am
by Piazza_man
Thanks for the heads up re the conversion. Yeah my height is usually a hindrance to a lot of cars I get into, and the Piazza was no different. but because I loved the car so much I made sure it was going to damn well fit me. I got creative and took the seat-lift mechanism out, which allowed the seat to pretty much sit on the floor. Next thing I did was to re-locate the brackets that bolted the seat to the floor, so that it sat back further about 100mm. And presto. Car fit me like a glove, and my centre of gravity was lower as a result.

Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2010 1:31 pm
by vinnie55
I'm glad you said that wedgenut, because I was under the impression it was a really full on task.
That said I'm no mechanic and didn't understand half of that.

But suddenly one of the Piazza's I herd about someone else buying I have just now been told didn't get sold, It's white, supposedly fairly tidy and above all IN ADELAIDE.
But if I remember correctly it's an auto. If that's the case I may even be able to buy it now.

I think rodeo bob also has the parts to do a conversion, so there is at least one lot on the west island:P

Posted: Fri Dec 31, 2010 1:50 pm
by Piazza_man
Certainly worthwhile thinking about it isn't it vinnie55. Maybe there are still some pristine autos here in Oz.

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 8:29 pm
by IZU069
Wana red one?

Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 9:46 pm
by Piazza_man
you mean the one on feebay in Melbourne?

Posted: Mon Jan 03, 2011 1:03 pm
by vinnie55
I just bought a pristine black one in Adelaide.

Posted: Mon Jan 03, 2011 1:35 pm
by wedgenut
Well done, thats you stuffed now, you need to get another one now as they are like potato chips, you can't have just one :finga:

Posted: Mon Jan 03, 2011 2:16 pm
by vinnie55
hahaha. ahh don't tempt me. Nah I seriously don't have the driveway space. I don't have the space for this one even.... I'll have to sell my old daily now...park it on the street till it's sold. well.... as soon as i've fixed some of it's problems i'll sell it :S (Renault Fuego)

Posted: Mon Jan 03, 2011 3:23 pm
by wedgenut
Oh Shit a Renault Fuego!!!! Now isn't that the car they say was designed for french tarts? I bet you cut a dashing figure in your fishnets, not that I am remotely interested of course.

PS what is your hourly rate? I'm asking for a friend...honest!

Don't mind me i'm just a sick person.

Posted: Mon Jan 03, 2011 3:52 pm
by IZU069
eyecon wrote:you mean the one on feebay in Melbourne?
Nah - I have a red auto.... (which looked much better than the fleabay...)

Posted: Thu Apr 07, 2011 3:55 pm
by Piazza_man
Off topic a bit but I thought I should show a rear view pic of that same Lambo-doored red Piazza from Japan. How ugly is that??? Shocker if you ask me.


Image

Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 1:46 pm
by IZU069
Yep - fugly.

I like them on the old Mazdas, but not on the Piazza compared to their usual.

But I once thought the same with later Belletts (the 1800s including the GT & GT-Rs) with their "plastic" grill trim and some of their square or round tail lights, but they grew on me... and I kinda like them now.
Okay - maybe not the tail lights, but if their fugly fronts are now IMO acceptable - maybe even attractive.... maybe - then I won't rule out that those Piazza tails might one day be, er, acceptable....
(Never say never. And never say ugly - whether fugly or not!)

Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 2:01 pm
by Piazza_man
Don't know what's worse the sedan spoiler on top of the JDM spoiler or the custom round lights. Maybe both.

Not a fan of the (standard) Piazza rear end my self. Front end terrific and aggressive (especially with the quad lights). Rear end no where near as aggressive for my liking.