We are beginning to come to the close of a month which many of you have aptly named "stancehunters," "flushhunters," or "ricehunters." This month, we've seen a divide between what Rod has called the automotive athletes (the performance-minded) and the fashionistas (the style-centric folk). This is a car that could split the camps even further. What we have here is a sports car with air ride suspension. Some may say that car this is sacrilegious, but the aesthetic appeal of it sitting static cannot be ignored. This Nissan 350z definitely has a menacing presence.
I've always maintained that no matter what car we're talking about, character is the number one aspect that determines whether or not you love the car. You performance-oriented folk can nod your head with me when I say this. You may have a car that can lap a course in record time, or it may pull a lot of G's in a straight line, but at the end of the day, if you're not giggling or laughing at the top of your lungs, it is just a hunk of metal. The owner of this car, John Giggles, has a name to live up to. But, I bet you, when John rolls home after a long day and then lays the car down, he will look back and smile. On a good day, a small giggle WILL escape.
To be as ridiculously low as this, the car is running on Universal Air Suspension, which is controlled by a digital air controller from East Street.
There's also a 5 gallon tank and dual 480cc air compressors to complete the bagged setup.
Is it still a sports car when air ride suspension is applied to a rear wheel drive sports car? Totally not, but you just cannot ignore the overall effect it gives; it's visually impressive.
If you want to show off, or "floss," then you should show off properly. John flosses around with a set of Wed Kranze Vishunu with SBC finish. They're 19"x10" up front with a 225/35/19 tire and 19"x11" with 245/35/19 tires in the rear. These wheels are the most important aspect of this car's character. Without it, it would just be like any other low 350z with stock trim!
The way these wheels fit when it is dropped all the way on the air suspension is really amazing. The guys at Hellaflush approve.
The interior has been kept fairly stock except for a few things: the entire dashboard, center console, armrests and door trims have been customized with black wood with a grey finish. The overall effect of such a treatment is a look of class.
Here, you can see the wood treatment with what used to be Nissan's interior plastic pieces.
A car this ridiculous and sacrilegious can't get away without an interior to match its exterior. John Giggles turned up the rice cooker on high and added a 7" monitor with DVD player and a 7" double-din Avic Z1 audio system.
No, John did not forget to take this Street Fighter 4 joystick out of his car; he has an actual Sony Playstation 3 installed for some mobile SF4 action anytime! With a combination of the dual 7" screens, a PS3 and an SF4 joystick, the rice cooker went from cooking just regular rice straight into porridge!
The lines of a 350z ask to be this slammed.
Having a Speedhunters sticker on a car that does anything but go fast? Total blasphemy–but that does not mean we don't approve of it!
It may not sit as slammed as if it would be standing still, but when rolling, it still holds the same magic. I would definitely turn my head every time this car passed by….
This is a car that you cannot ignore.
Hate all you want, but cars that are part of the whole "hellaflush" movement is something that is here, and it will definitely stay for a while longer. Remember when the 1990s came, and people started wearing super colorful clothes, and then sagged their pants lower than humanly possible? Think of the "hellaflush" movement as the same thing. It's a trend that will pass, but those that "get it" will remember that they were part of a generation that defined future automotive styling. Remember, it wasn't too long ago when we started to see new cars from the manufacturers begin to have lower offset wheels with a somewhat "flush" wheel fitment.
John Giggles is a person that enjoys his car entirely differently from how Nissan envisioned it. It's no longer a sports car, but a luxury cruiser with sports car qualities. Some of you may not like such backwards thinking with cars, but we're into what we do because it's such a personal hobby. Every aspect of a car represents its owner, as we've seen in a very literal example with the zombie rod. John has a very relaxed and chilled persona, and this 350z reflects that. But, as relaxed and chilled as he may be, John still gets his giggles out of owning this car because it's so ridiculous.
If I owned this car and drove it every day, I would not be able to stop myself from laughing uncontrollably. This car has so much humor, and I love it because of that.
Linhbergh Nguyen
OFFICIAL SPEEDHUNTERS SUPPLIERS
great car love the old school joystick
A car's character, speaks more than it's performance or good looks. And despite the rather simple mods, relatively, this car has character in the bucketful.
Linhbergh, I love the colours on all your photos - wonderful subtle colours, awesome.
If only i received a dollar for every time Linhbergh used the word rice...
I like the 90s colorful clothes analogy. There are always people who will lust after the "trendy stuff," no matter how stupid it is.
Loads of wrong.
Let me tell you, ill be happy when rice month will be over...bring some 350s with turbos
looks great i love it
MattDaKav
Do I sense jealousy? Nothing wrong with sitting LOW. To each their own. I dig the bagged Z. I even dig the black wood grain accents too, to give it a luxurious feel.
sick, but for being a bagged car, thats a extremely weak stance.
well i gotta say, linhbergh... you sure have a sick sense of humor lol~ not my cup of tea but most of these werent so meh~ the Lexus SC was awesome and there were a few others that were awesome (flush, not hellaflush) but all in all i did love this month. thanks again for exposing us to this side of the culture and keep us posted with hellaflush events in the future pleaseeee!!!
I dig it, I really do. I'd dig it sooo much more with coilovers tho. You know you would too.
Yes, this is just as future-defining as saggy-ass pants, HyperColor, high-top fades, rat-tail haircuts, friendship bracelets, pegged jean cuffs, emo fashion, and hydraulic hopping.
Cause I don't know about you guys, but it's 2009 and I sag my hypercolor jeans to my knees, have a rat-tail high-top fade + emo flop so I can't see shit, peg my jean cuffs WITH my friendship bracelets, and just bought a GT-R with the hydraulics option.
Effing kooks.
Ok, I accept ur definition: "luxury cruiser"
Damm, is so low!
Hella-awesome as always Linhbergh!
Wallpepers? Tons of em?
Imust admit seeing speedhunters stickers(which i so want for my own car)on these slammed cars is good, it shows that you are doing what is sayis on the front page bringing all parts of car culture, You've even covered eco cars this month i don't like them i prefer track cars and muscle cars and tsukuba event coverage.But its good you're covering them. Looking forward to next month.As for the car i prefered the e36 on c4 heels because that car was so awesome i want those wheels and that stance on my own f20'd 318 project and sr20de'd 318 project.
JChatterton said:
MattDaKav, Do I sense jealousy?
No.
GiggleS~
Meh. Not really my taste, but if the owner loves his car so much then good on him. As for me, I'm not really into hellaflush cars. Can't wait for Turbo Month, ITB month, Tsukuba month, Famous Japanese Tuners month, whatever. Haha. Oh, I just gotta get this off my chest, the previous driver month was just a fail. You should have featured someone like Satoshi Motoyama, NOB Taniguchi, etc.
please, a desktop for the first picture, please!!
nice setup. simple but yet, so clean.!
can we stop letting linhbergh write articles please? he should stick to taking pretty pictures
@JBlaine
I was thinking the same thing.
superb! please desktops 2nd, 4th and last.. and maybe source with MOOOAARR photos :))
This car is perfectly done.
Wallpaper of the first pic please!
It seems like all the hellaflush slammed month posts have consistently gotten low ratings.
Kevin we did feature a feature on Taniguchi. You must have missed it. We deliberately did the Driver's theme very light to let the site breath a bit.
I wonder where i fall in between all of this? I like "athlete" cars and i like the "fashionistas". This car rocks on so many levels, I love it!!!
its so clean i thought the first pic was a rc car
ed said:
sick, but for being a bagged car, thats a extremely weak stance.
ARE YOU SERIOUS?? you must have a misconstrued idea because this car is the DEFINITION of stance and flush. Well apparently others disagree with you. Also to all those saying bring on turbo Z's, come on....Are we all not into the same thing?? MODDING CARS?? Do we not all enjoy cars?? Quit the hatorade sipping!!
Linhbergh, very nicely done! Rod, thank you for taking the time out to come and feature these kind of cars and let everyone know that there are many different approaches and tastes to modding cars. LoL 2 RE cars in one month, not bad!
What's with using the term 'rice' of all a sudden, sounds really lame.
Oh look, the ratings magically went up on all the slammed month articles.
^ it's called redefining rice
Wow! His 350Z is gorgeous! excellent indeed.
MM so nice. Something to aspire to I would say. For all those who diss hella flush, or 'for show' stance should just stfu.
Its just another aspect of the car scene and if done properly like above, its a work of art.
Personally I would love to do something like this, I dont need a TT Z33 seeing as I already have a modified 180sx, just need/want a cruiser thats hella flush
Linhbergh - photos as ever as epic. Love the colours, love the composition, love the bokeh on the HellaFlush shot too.
air ride is for semi's.
THis car def' has the stance down pat. But, the black paint loses me on the overall effect. It doesn't come off as hot as the Edafe's Z did (white with black/cf lip wheeled Tx car).
This post was mentioned on Twitter by MIWagz: Sacrilegious? I think not! One really hot Z? I'll let you decide, but my thumbs went skyward. http://ow.ly/Ej5X
if a a car is equiped with functionally proven aero, wheels, suspension and has a built motor but the car is presented as a show piece and never raced, is it considered rice? if we were to take you definition of rice then yes. the world outside of speedhunters says no.
your definition of rice = aesthetic mods
real definition of rice = mods that do not serve a real purpose on a car.
Roberuta Cup Kit = rice? to you yes, real world no
Varis Aero = rice? to you yes, real world no
HIDs = rice? to you yes, real world no
stretched tires = rice? to you yes, real world no (the people who originally did this had no choice because of certain laws and were forced to do it, so it had a purpose)
flush/poke = rice? to you yes, real world no
***real definition of rice = mods that do not serve a real purpose on a car***
stretched tires = rice? to you yes, real world no (the people who ORIGINALLY did this had NO CHOICE because of certain laws and were FORCED to do it, so it HAD (keyword had) a purpose)
flush/poke = rice? to you yes, real world no
What purpose, other than aesthetics, does flushness and being slammed serve (air bags, tucked rims)?
"if a a car is equiped with functionally proven aero, wheels, suspension and has a built motor but the car is presented as a show piece and never raced, is it considered rice? "
No, because it would be a functional machine if put to use. Your argument is weak and lacks a solid point.
i like this 350z a lot. i wouldnt do it, but i would accept anybody doing this with open arms. the hellaflush movement is BIG, and i hope it makes its way over here to the south. you dont really see too much of this kind of thing down here in FL.
great write up as well
"nuff said" is just mad coz he's gettin hellllllla styled on
we should get all the "athletes" and all the "fashionistas" and put them all in a room with a solid kilogram of pot and some old JDM Insider vids.. cuz both of em need to chill.. too much hating
http://www.youtube.com/user/DRFTmonkeh
*ducking the flames*
the pictures are very nice Linh, I'm sure the car wouldn't look as nice without your photography skills.
basically what it comes down to is, if you dont like it, why take the time to post your negatives? ill tell you why, because this car is so awesome you HAVE to say something about it regardless of whether you want to like it or not. giggles is doing something right if you have to take the time out of your day to say something about it, love it, hate it, it doesnt matter. its still an attn grabber no matter what. and at the end of the day, the owner is perfectly happy with his creation.
keep up the good work JG. car looks amazing.
so basically... run as low of a offset wheel as you can, stretch the crap out of your tires.. and slam it so much you can not drive over a pack of cigarette. The formula to get you featured on speedhunters... I'LL PASS
Maaaan....alota ppl taking the time out to show their hate. That's cool. I guess we'll see what ratings look like after this month.
On one hand, I see why literal "speed hunter; athletic" type guys could take the such cars a little sour b/c of the website name but these are probably the same type of ppl who rarely take change well and I hope they never try to run a business of any sort.
...the fact is, don't be suprised that a "hellaflush" bagged turbo'd 350z can leave your gutted, lightweight rimmed up, fat tired, terrible riding, caged whatever in the dust at a red light too. That'll really leave you feeling shitty huh?
It's sad when sports cars are starting to look like lowriders
Tons and tons and tons and TONS of awesome cars at SEMA, and you guys are showcasing this garbage? Embarrassing.
wallpaper of the 12th one down please!!
what does this car have to do with SEMA?
I'm loving it, Baby!!!
lame chrome rims. lame car
Dayummm, 1st Zeem's,,then Mr. Giggles? who's next?! pictures are nice. i'm so privileged of seeing this car almost everyday. Congrats R.E. HAHA.
This trend needs to end, its not ricey, it just doesn't belong on a Z. This is a sports car, not a GS430.
Useless
It's called Speed Hunters for a reason. Right?
Desktops please!
This Z33 is about as "menacing" as a $400 haircut. I'm so scared.
I know that some of you are not quite with us this month and for this we apologize. It's just that
This car is so dope. Everything about it is done so perfectly. <3
This isn't sacrilegious or blasphemy at all, it's just what the owner wanted to do to his ride. There's nothing that says a bagged car can't still be fast, as is the point of my Mustang project that I'm going to supercharge it AND throw some bags on it. The handling won't match that of coil-overs but unless your going to the track and racing for money, then it doesn't matter. I'll be smiling while I'm pulling 10's at the track and when I'm sittin' on the frame at a stoplight....
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matt said:
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lame chrome rims. lame car
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I'm willing to bet it's nicer than what you drive. Your car didn't look *this* good in it's feature. What's that? Your car WASN'T featured on Speedhunters? Huh....that certainly says something about this Z, don't it?
Amazing car, perfect fitment and choice of wheels
Love it
another great feature for the HOUSTON scene!
Phase II Honda Civic Gary Bonner Lexus SC Sessions Toyota Celsior Dino - a true modern-day VIP car from
beautiful 350Z! I am inspired
-06' 350z enthusiast silver owner. 87xxx