Kappa Performance Forum
Kappa Specific => Joe's Garage => Interior/Exterior Mods => Topic started by: Sting Ya on January 06, 2015, 09:04:40 AM
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I have always been impressed with the Solbra bodykit that was part of Wade Linger's LS conversion package and have been doing research on it since I saw my first one a few years ago at the Woodward Dream Cruise .Well yesterday I had the pleasure of talking to the designer of the kit Danny Whitfield and all I can say is what a class act this guy is! Let me start off by clearing up a misconception about the kit ,as we know Wade produced these kits and stopped making them a few years ago and never sold the parts separately although if you go on Danny's website he has the front end and rear end parts listed but once again he does not produce them .Wade was concerned about the quality and durability of the front end piece they are made of fiberglass (he has the mold) and the limited market for the kit per Danny so at some point he stopped producing them .I have read that there was a falling out or an issue as far as royalties on the design go , Danny assured me that it is not the case and he still does work for Wade.During our conversation I asked about the possibility of reproducing the kit again if there was enough interest and he told me that the next time he would talk to Wade he would bring this up . If anyone is interested you can go on Danny's website dannywhitfield.com and see the kit ,the Diamondback Concept and some other great designs based on the Solstice just click on the Concept Renderings link. I will be talking to Danny next week and he asked me to see if there is any interest in this kit and then go from there with Wade .At this point I'm asking anyone who may be interested to respond to my post and I'll pass this information on to Danny .
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I'm very interested, I LOVE the Cobra front. But, of course, it does depend on price.
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I want the hood at 1:00 in the video... maybe with the center louvers toned down a bit, though (and I could do without the music... my wife was sure I was watching an '80's corno)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9YH_A1zy6s#t=60
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Maybe Danny would be interested in having NORM reproduce the kit.
Wade hopefully would not object since he no longer produce them.
Just a thought.
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I brought up Norm's name in our conversation and Danny said he had heard of him ,one of the issues that Danny brought up was the quality and fit of the pieces , he did not know who produced them for Wade and as far as he knows Wade still has the mold .I have a couple of directions in mind to go with this and at this point I getting as much information as I can and hopefully will try to contact Wade in the next few days . Chop Top turned me on to one of these cars for sale in New York but it did not have an LS conversion which I thought was part of the Solbra package . I'm going to try and contact the guy selling it and hopefully get some more information .The quest continues !
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Hello Sting, thanks for thinking of me. Though I have no interest in building them as Im working on coming out with a new front end. Slowly I admit as its all I can do do get other projects we have going along with orders out. Thanks again Norm
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I want the hood at 1:00 in the video... maybe with the center louvers toned down a bit, though (and I could do without the music... my wife was sure I was watching an '80's corno)
80's corno that was what I was thinking too.
(http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u143/normsf/IMG_2007_zpsdd485a46.jpg) (http://s167.photobucket.com/user/normsf/media/IMG_2007_zpsdd485a46.jpg.html)
(http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u143/normsf/IMG_2008_zps381c4339.jpg) (http://s167.photobucket.com/user/normsf/media/IMG_2008_zps381c4339.jpg.html)
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I was talking to Wade a couple of years ago when I went up with Chuck Doc to pick up a GXP front end. He was having a local pool company doing his glass work. He said their shop was better equipped to do it than he was.
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That's funny I was just looking at that picture earlier today would love to have that concept myself, count me in :drive: :drive:
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Here's my fav for the 2.4 because separates the turn/driving lights but still retains the DNA of the Pontiac Solstice.
(http://images.popularhotrodding.com/features/0609phr_08_z+2006_pontiac_solstice+front_quarter.jpg)[/QUOTE][/QUOTE]
But I've already committed to a GXP fascia conversion because I already bought a GXP fascia + Norms GXP splitter.
So Norm, could this new fascia be the SD 290 fascia??????
(http://www.gmroadster.com/images/stories/rsgallery/display/gmroadster-gm290-DSC06602.jpg.jpg)
This splitter rocks on the 2.4. Post 1, sorry couldn't get it to embed.
http://www.solsticeforum.com/forum/f11/solstice-sema-concept-rendering-3316/
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This splitter rocks on the 2.4. Post 1, sorry couldn't get it to embed.
http://www.solsticeforum.com/forum/f11/solstice-sema-concept-rendering-3316/
Here you go:
(http://www.solsticeforum.com/forum/attachments/f11/1652d1121008270-solstice-sema-concept-rendering-sema_sketch.jpg)
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That particular front end (white car ) was a one off when the car was in for a Mallett Conversion for Mike Jonas owner of Stainless Steel Brakes .It was done by a body shop in N.Y. Aero Collision along with the hood scoops from a RK Sport GTO hood grafted onto the stock hood ,a Razzi spoiler for a Dodge Intrepid and a rear valance with center outlet Corsa exhaust tips . I talked to Danny Whitfield last week and he led me to believe that Wade Linger is not interested in producing anymore Solbra body kits and from all the information I have the only way to get this kit was to purchase one of his LS conversions although he did some initially with GXP's .At this point the only way to get something similar (Wade owns the rights to this design) is to have Danny draw up a design at $800 a pop and then have someone like Norm reproduce it .Given the total initial cost I'm figuring a couple grand and the limited market for it I think it's dead in the water :(
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(http://www.solsticeforum.com/forum/attachments/f11/1652d1121008270-solstice-sema-concept-rendering-sema_sketch.jpg)
Thanks Dave :thumbs:
I could see this splitter on the blue and white car. :cool:
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I could see this splitter on my car in carbon fiber :yay: mmmmmmmmmmmmmm?