Fresh&Minty Nissan Elgrand ~ Race Bus / Party Bus

[fr€$h&m1nt¥]

Hi all

I thought I'd start a new thread for my latest project to keep it separate from the cube build thread, in hindsight I should have kept my Cuore build thread as a separate thread too.


Here's some photos -





Mods had already started here, this is following a rear-end debadge -



And the inside (albeit blurry) -



Plans are VIP style but because I know I'll get bored of that very quickly I'm splitting the car in two.

Driver's side is going to be clean and simple smooth lines with VIP styling, passenger's side is going to be sticker fun with possibly some itasha fun sneaking in.

To summarise plans for 2015 -

Lows
Wheels
Stickers
Accessories

Cheers
Phil

[jeffeRS]

This should be interesting. If it turns out half as nice as your others then it will be brilliant. Looking forward to seeing this coming together.....

[charliecroker]

Sounds great, wheels in mind?

[agentprawn]

awesome. I was looking at these as a dayvan/camper replacement for my GMC a coupe of years ago. will follow with interest

[fr€$h&m1nt¥]

Thanks all.

These are the wheels...



I started browsing eBay 6 months ago to see what was available and ended up buying them locally for £120.

I need to get them painted though due to bubbling under the lacquer.

[grizz]

Very interesting but perfectly you choice.

Nice wheels too.

[messerschmitt]

Phil
looks good!

Just looking at the Cube, did you have a surplus of the paint you did the Roadie in?

[fr€$h&m1nt¥]

Mar 17, 2015 8:43:56 GMT @automatik said:

Bookmarked this!
I didn´t know that car before, don´t really like it (yet) except those triangular lights on the fenders (stock?),
but I´m sure you will make something special out of it again so I can see myself in it finally...

Your white smoothies with those arches you put on the cube might work here, too, as TBH it looks terribly flimsy on that audi a2 comparison pic.

Thanks I think!

The biceratops horns are aftermarket by the previous Japanese owner, unless it was a factory option which is unlikely but everything else is standard for this model. I actually quite like them now and do help to distinguish the edge of the wings when driving. I can't work out if you mean that's the only thing you like about the car or other way around?!

As for arches the sliding doors limit width options but I've decided to go for a tucked and dropped look this time around.

[fr€$h&m1nt¥]

Mar 17, 2015 8:48:10 GMT grizz said:

Very interesting but perfectly you choice.

Nice wheels too.

Thanks grizz , yes fits my oddball tastes perfectly and the natural progression size wise to the cube.

Only killer is the thirsty V6 3.5 litre petrol engine but I only do a few miles a day.

[fr€$h&m1nt¥]

Mar 17, 2015 9:22:54 GMT messerschmitt said:

Phil
looks good!

Just looking at the Cube, did you have a surplus of the paint you did the Roadie in?

Cheers messer.

It was vinyl on the cube but i gave the guy a photo of my roadster and said match that and he did. The same vinyl and colour will be making an appearance on the elgrand too

[Speedle]

Do love these Japanese cruising wagons great choice and very different.

Whilst only 10 years old it is different and that too is something I love to see on this forum.

[VIP]

Please don't sticker this up. It's got such clean crisp lines and these suit the VIP look so well. Stickering it is just going to look 'messy'.

[fr€$h&m1nt¥]

Sorry VIP I'd just get bored.

If you just look at the drivers side you'll be happy.

[vulgalour]

The new wheels are a big pile of yes as is that front end. I thought these were a mid-90s vehicle, surprised yours is only ten years old, it looks older but in a good way.

The half-and-half could look a bit naff, but then so could the 8-bit theme on the Cube but you managed to pull that off pretty well by being cohesive throughout. I look forward to seeing this one evolve, I do enjoy reading your project threads.

[fr€$h&m1nt¥]

Mar 17, 2015 11:53:49 GMT @automatik said:

As it´s my first eye contact with that car, my first impression is not to like it.
I can´t even explain, it looks rather martially. I know there is a certain japanese term for trucks and vans with huge spoilers, wings etc. and this looks like the milder factory-made milder version of such.

I see where you're coming from, I'd be tempted to go down if I was braver and had more time.

[fr€$h&m1nt¥]

Mar 17, 2015 12:13:33 GMT vulgalour said:

The new wheels are a big pile of yes as is that front end. I thought these were a mid-90s vehicle, surprised yours is only ten years old, it looks older but in a good way.

Thanks

Mar 17, 2015 12:13:33 GMT vulgalour said:

The half-and-half could look a bit naff, but then so could the 8-bit theme on the Cube but you managed to pull that off pretty well by being cohesive throughout. I look forward to seeing this one evolve, I do enjoy reading your project threads.

Yeah it might do but you can only see one side of the car at a time and by the time you've walked around to the other side you might have forgotten what the first side looked like.

[fr€$h&m1nt¥]

Mar 17, 2015 13:21:11 GMT @automatik said:

Errr, sorry...?
Not sure if you got me totally wrong?

You don't like it because it reminds you of vans like the above?!

If so I can see the similarities but I actually like the madness of that style.

[sciclone]

Damn you...

I've got to sell my Dualis (qashqai Series 1) because of a busted knee (can't drive manual for a while), and was tossing up between one of these and a Pathfinder.

[fr€$h&m1nt¥]

You can get one too sciclone

I'd recommend them, packed with features, only downside is the low 20s MPG. This shape is petrol only (2.5 or 3.5 v6)

[djcrossie]

If this turns out anything like your cube it'll be bang on, you have exceptional taste in cars my friend, just because you have kids doesn't mean to say you have to buy something boring and curse word