sim·pli·fy (sim-ple-fi)
tr.v. sim·pli·fied, sim·pli·fy·ing, sim·pli·fies
To make simple or simpler, as:
a. To reduce in complexity or extent.
b. To reduce to fundamental parts.
c. To make easier to understand.
Something has been bugging me for a month. I got it in my mind to simplify. To make Sharka a bit less. To go back a little bit.
See, I made the mistake of filling my gauge-designing PC’s screensaver with old photos. There’s lots of family pix, lots of toy pix, and TONS of Sharka pix. And as I cut out gauges, I see the pix go past. I watch the Sharka of a year or two ago appear and disappear. I got nostalgic.
It was time to call in the big guns.
Nothing like working in the garage with old friends, even if they are a bit on the short side. Soundwave has been my favorite bot since childhood. Soundwave and Optimus Prime. I guess I like a bot with a face mask. But I digress.
Really, I just needed some small lasers.
I mean, how else was I to remove the vinyl? And take pix? Perhaps a pile of vinyl next to a fender? Bah! This is much more fun.
A note on the adhesive remover – it rocks. I bought the bottle to remove the side molding on my Mazda 3. It made quick work of that and left me with half a bottle. Very little was required to remove the vinyl residue. This is a great tool that anyone who does vinyl work should have.
A long time ago, someone asked me what the inside of the door looked like with my side stripes. I meant to take pix and just never got a chance. Well, this is it. Or rather, WAS it. The vinyl wraps around the back of the door, and on the fender it looks like this. Just a quick slice with an X-acto and the vinyl separates on the cut line.
But the simplification wasn’t finished there. Nope.
The TDR air splitter has felt a bit out of place to me lately. It was fun. It was very robust! (I can’t believe some of the hits it took with no damage.) And I always wanted to try a splitter with the support braces. But it just seemed a bit… much.
Out it goes. Sharka will wear a bare airdam for now. Just the factory plastic and some stripes.
Yes. That’s what I was craving. Something more like the Sharka of 2011. A bit less, but a bit more.
Many thanks to Soundwave and his boys for the assistance.
What do you think? Less = more?
It needed doing.
Good choice!
Thanks Bryan! Nothing like going back to something a bit closer to OEM. =)
Yes! Looks better. Sometimes a little bit less goes a long way.
But it’s so hard to do less! hahaha. It’s so much more fun to do more. Restraint is hard work.
Now lose the center stripe and you are really simplifying.
The center stripe IS Sharka. It will go away when I do.
Looks better without the splitter. It was a bit “out” considering the rest of the car. About the side stripes, I don’t know. I think it looks as good with or without them.
Yeah. I agree completely. I sometimes miss the side stripes. Not the splitter so much.
I’m not against re-striping the doors someday. Not at all.
Funny how the small changes over time seemed to all work together and I never really realized how much Sharka had changed over the last year or two. Hitting the ‘reset button’ has me almost doing a double-take… Looks great!
THAT is what I shoulda called this post. The Reset Button.
Thank you my friend! Can’t wait to have The Big Photoshoot. You know the one.
You have no idea… Cannot wait! Post boost will make for another great run and comparison of turbo vs. supercharger. We are going to have a blast!
You know what would look great on Sharka? Mag Type-B Wats. Way less flashy than the Star Sharks.
LOL! For shame. hahahaha
You are going for a more understated look. Wats fit that bill nicely. If you want to trade you know where to find me lol
Holy cow, it’s like you are reading my mind. Splitter and sill stripes gone – good moves. Splitter didn’t fit and a car can only wear so many stripes.
Uh, *ahem* don’t you have a set of 14″ RPF1’s in storage somewhere?
Thanks Mike! Yeah, I’m really enjoying the more simple look.
As for the RPF1s, I use those almost every day. They’re on Bucky, my daily.
Well done… I have so much to say, but don’t want to get in the way.
Kinda like your reset….
You should see my race hood these days.
Is it simplified? As in most of it being gone? hahaha
Will you be selling the splitter to a good home? (mine)