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I would have posted something if I thought there was going to be interest lol I'm friends with the collab team. We're going to be out near Mt. Haruna in the next couple of weeks.
It's a challenge to work on new stuff... the FD has been around since 1992, so the market is probably shrinking (in terms of $ investment).
After at looking at pictures of Japanese FDs, it makes me wonder if there are any stock ones left there. Also, you would think that after all the hood, body and spoiler upgrades, that there would be a ton of body parts and interior trim available on the used parts market.
It's a challenge to work on new stuff... the FD has been around since 1992, so the market is probably shrinking (in terms of $ investment).
After at looking at pictures of Japanese FDs, it makes me wonder if there are any stock ones left there. Also, you would think that after all the hood, body and spoiler upgrades, that there would be a ton of body parts and interior trim available on the used parts market.
Some of it has to do with being able to count on two hands how many companies are replicating their parts.
Some of it has to do with their previous aero designer doing his own thing and he was the driving force behind major body work design.
Some of it has to do with other companies in the scene making add-on pieces that sort of refresh the look.
There are several reasons as to why things are the way they are.
RE-A is first and foremost a tuning garage, and Ama-san loves collaborating with people who want to shove rotaries into weird chassis, so a majority of profits comes from that. While they still make new aero (fender/fender vents on the white Kizuna 7 and the 2-in-1 canard on the B.Max, which are neither currently available for sale), there isn't enough demand for big ticket pieces. I mean, not everyone wants to buy authentic kits and the number of people buying decreases, so you'd have to sell authentic kits at a higher price.. It's a weird place right now for new aero. I can see Ama-san just building one-offs and leaving it at that. When he gets bored of his X-Response, he'll sell it and build a new design, but probably not sell any parts as a kit.
In regards to number of used parts, you're right about stock vehicles decreasing in numbers. A lot of enthusiasts in Japan are realizing it's value (RX-7s) increasing, so a lot of the mods are non-permanent at most (rims and stuff). There is a Japanese aero company that makes replica OEM aero pieces just so people can go back to the stock look. It'll definitely be interesting to see where RE-A and the rest of the tuners go moving forward.
It's a challenge to work on new stuff... the FD has been around since 1992, so the market is probably shrinking (in terms of $ investment).
After at looking at pictures of Japanese FDs, it makes me wonder if there are any stock ones left there. Also, you would think that after all the hood, body and spoiler upgrades, that there would be a ton of body parts and interior trim available on the used parts market.
if you look at up garage and yahoo auctions, oem body parts and trim are dirt cheap for the most part. I paid about $500 for rear hatch/interior plastics and then seen the set pop up over there for less than $100. Same with rear seats, hoods front bumpers, etc. Problem is shipping that stuff over thats the killer.
