Interesting Bumper Mod on a Spider

[maytag]

Many auto/aerospace engineers go to a lot of trouble to go to 4-8 years of engineering school and get internships at various design centers to get the knowledge and aesthetics to design these products we drive and fly today, to think that some weekend hack is somehow going to design something better is pure nonsense...
Enjoy the horrors and think twice before picking up that non-Fiat part to add to the car you've labored so hard to get just right.

Nick

And 50% of them graduate in the bottom half of their class!

I don't want to be taken out of context here; the number of BAD examples certainly outweigh the good ones. No argument from me there.
But I could throw-out some interesting head-scratchers too; in my really quiet, super-secret voice: sometimes people actually get fired from these design firms for their mistakes! AND believe it or not, sometimes an engineer makes a mistake bad enough that a manufacturer must participate in a recall! (gasp!)

History (and the patent books) are FULL of examples of smart and creative people who have created / designed things on their own, outside of the employment of a manufacturer where you'd expect to see it originate. Beware the folks who think that no-one can do better. I pal-around with some pretty smart fellers (yes, there's even an MIT alumni among the bunch) and there's ALWAYS room for new thinking, and experimentation.

Have you ever modified something and heard people say "now that's what (fill-in-the-manufacturer) SHOULD have built!" I have. In my garage.

And let's not forget that in this particular thread, we're talking about largely aesthetic modifications!

[maytag]

Enjoy the horrors and think twice before picking up that non-Fiat part to add to the car you've labored so hard to get just right.

Nick

and just to be sure: are you suggesting that somehow Mark's header isn't better than ANY exhaust manifold that Fiat EVER put on a production model? Really? Because I'd have to say that it would qualify as "Non-Fiat".

[jimincalif]

And 50% of them graduate in the bottom half of their class!

sometimes people actually get fired from these design firms for their mistakes!

I think we know what half the folks who designed the Pontiac Aztec were in:



Looks like something Chevy Chase would drive in a vacation movie.

[radiopilot]

Enjoy the horrors and think twice before picking up that non-Fiat part to add to the car you've labored so hard to get just right.

Nick

and just to be sure: are you suggesting that somehow Mark's header isn't better than ANY exhaust manifold that Fiat EVER put on a production model? Really? Because I'd have to say that it would qualify as "Non-Fiat".

Apples and oranges... Mark's headers are an improvement to an existing design and would merit the product being installed at the factory... and other minor touches which don't detract from the original design... example Brady's seat belt guides... the lines of the car are still intact... what you are suggesting is that somehow Pinninfarina wasn't as good a designer as we thought he was and therefore all those million dollar Ferrari's, Alfa's, Fiat's and other cars need to be tweeked because somehow this master designer goofed somewhere? You got to be kidding right?

Nick

[radiopilot]

And 50% of them graduate in the bottom half of their class!

sometimes people actually get fired from these design firms for their mistakes!

I think we know what half the folks who designed the Pontiac Aztec were in:



Looks like something Chevy Chase would drive in a vacation movie.

Maybe that bottom 50% were the ones to design this and other montrosities and are out of work but secretly in their private garages building the sort of vehicles posted in my previous pics of monsters on wheels.

[narfire]

The old AMC Gremlin comes to mind, Started to design that one in the morning and put the pen down at coffee, someone grabbed the paper and went with it before he/she could finish.
Gad that was an ugly car

[radiopilot]

There were many 70's era cars that were hideous and mass produced in an attempt to take the market share of low cost vehicles... those designers were probably given a very small budget to get something quick out... let's see we got Pinto's, Vegas (although today a nice design), Pacers, and a host of really ugly cars to many to mention here... they learned their lesson when the imports picked up on those and decided to design nice looking cheap cars... we got Celicas, Nissan's and of course Hondas... tell me they weren't better looking than the American counterparts?

Nick

[maytag]

RADIOPILOT!!!!
STEP AWAY FROM THE KEYBOARD!!!!!



dood.... your posts look like you're WAAAY too passionate about this!




J/K bro. it's all good. Just razzin' ya!

But not sure how this morph'd into Japanese designers being better'n American.

[manoa matt]

The rear bumper doesn’t look too bad, it would look better without the tow hitch. The front would look better if it was wider and closer to the body.

As far as designers go, there are many types. The guys and gals that design the body and interior are basically art students. While the designers that design engine components are MIT material.

However the point that you are all missing is that the designers are not the ones who design the car, its the accountants and lawyers. The accountant’s figure out which design is cheaper, and that is the one that is put into production. The lawyers’ figure out how many lawsuits and recalls will be needed if we go with inferior bolts from China vs. bolts from US steel.

How much does a stock cast iron manifold cost to produce? (I'd say less than $10 each, even in 1978 money) How much does a custom tubular steel "snake" header cost to produce? (Ask Mark, but I’ll bet its way more than $10)

If designers designed cars we would all be driving around in "concept cars", but lawyers and accountants rule and hence why we all drive Toyota Corollas and other "bland" cars. The majority of the general population is stupid. As a car manufacturer you can't have stupid people driving around in supped up high performance race cars, too many accidents, deaths, and too much liability.

IF the designers were given freedom of design then yes, they would produce something great, and much better than the home mechanic could dream up. But when they are forced to design a component with the perameters of: "make this part cost less than $5 to produce, meet emissions regulations, but get better horsepower, and make it of a "green" material so we can market the car as such. Its a miracle they can design anything that works with such restrictive design perameters.

[radiopilot]

RADIOPILOT!!!!
STEP AWAY FROM THE KEYBOARD!!!!!



dood.... your posts look like you're WAAAY too passionate about this!




J/K bro. it's all good. Just razzin' ya!

But not sure how this morph'd into Japanese designers being better'n American.

Dude... I think you need to take a breath and a sigh... Yes we all are passionate about our cars... these are Italian cars aren't they?

Second... I'm not saying the Japanese are better than American (and if they are thanks to Dr. W. Edwards Deming "another hack right"?) for insuring the American companies took hold to produce better quality products. If you'd like further reading maybe pick up the book by Richard J. Schonberger entitled "Japanese Manufacturing Techniques: Nine Hidden Lessons in Simplicity"... it'll open your eyes and why American companies are now slowly emulating Japan's manufacturing success...

Just sayin'....

[ITA124]

I think most American cars are hideous. The nose on the Aztec looks up-side-down

Aussie cars aren't are too bad, but I prefer almost anything out of the Italian stables

[So Cal Mark]

since I don't really know exactly what this thread is about, I'll throw out another variable. Popular culture of any era has a huge effect on exterior design. Some of you may remember the Ford Granada in the mid 70s. Ford marketed that car as a Mercedes clone. The commercials featured a well-to-do older couple getting into the Ford that was parked next to their MB, since they couldn't tell the difference. The car had no style, it was just square everywhere yet sold tons because common folks wanted to be mistaken for being upper class.
As for the Aztek, I liked the concept and it's quirkiness. It's like the plain girl in high school. You ignored her for the cheerleader but 20 yrs later discovered she would have been a much better choice.

[ITA124]

So Cal

I love my spider for its looks, not functionality.

That's why I have a Japanese car as a daily driver

[manoa matt]

I love my spider for its looks, and its functionality. That's why I have a Fiat as a daily driver

Too bad ITA124, you are missing out on a daily basis.

[ITA124]

Too bad ITA124, you are missing out on a daily basis.

Touché manoa matt, I commend you for your tolerance of the heat in Hawaii. Here in Aus, I'd die without good aircon.