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#418/2000 restore & mod thread.

NateCrisman

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 22, 2008
Messages
2,054
Location
Blairstown, NJ
Im busting my ass on the car this weekend to get it done...here's what I have left to do:

[*]Wrap pass rear 1/4 (pita)
[*]Wrap rear bumper cover (major pita)
[*]Fab brackets and mount JDM-YO rear pumper cover
[*]Wrap front bumper cover (incredibly hard major pita)
[*]snag more door molding clips from shop to install pass side door caps and rear doglegs
[*]develop a method of getting those #$%^@ metal clips that hold the thumb button of the rear door handles on!!!
[*]Swap door glass from three "parts car" doors into my existing doors (already nicely tinted)
[*]Install rear 1/4 windows from "parts car"...nicely tinted....BONUS: GalantVR4.org stickers already in place.
[*]Wrap black over tail light backing plate and over chrome edges o the 92 tails...then install tail lights
[*]Install JDM-YO foglights and wire up the turn signals.
[*]Install wing (after brother-in-law returns it to me pre wrapped)
[*]Wrap door window frames in black
[*]Install F&R freshly painted glass trim
[*]Install freshly painted cowl cover, wiper arms, and new blades.
[*]Decide what Grill Im going to use..clean/paint/wrap & install
[*]go buy new windshield wash pissers...Im thinking LED light up chrome skulls /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rofl.gif
[*]Design & Print vinyl logos/lettering for Performance Partout to slather over a fresh clean car
[/list]
OK...maybe next weekend Ill actually be completely finished :banged:
 
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NateCrisman

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 22, 2008
Messages
2,054
Location
Blairstown, NJ
Well, I certainly didn't get it completed this weekend, but I did make some progress. Didn't have any help from my pro-wrapping family, so I had to march on solo. Basically, I got the rear 1/4 and front bumper done along with some "install" work..but the front bumper took me like 4 hours today!.

Here's a few iphone pics. Seriously...I WILL get it outside this week for real photos, and get it up to shop to install different suspension and wheels.

Brother in law did the door handles for me..they are all installed nice now.
IMG_3440-L.jpg


I wrapped the rear 1/4 myself, and did a fairly reasonable quality job with only a few tiny wrinkles back by the tail light.
IMG_3445-L.jpg


Fresh tinted 1/4 windows went on with .org stickers.
IMG_3444-L.jpg


Up close of the tiny wrinkles and an edge burr that I just couldn't get done
IMG_3443-XL.jpg


I tackled the front bumper myself as well...and had to break it up into 5 individual sections due to how many complex curves there are...and still needed to "patch spots" and show seams in shitty areas. It's first on my "to be re-done someday" when my skills are better. For now...it's presentable.
IMG_3450-L.jpg


As it sits sunday night:
IMG_3461-XL.jpg
 
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Yohler

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 26, 2016
Messages
70
Location
New Lenox, IL
Really coming together. I think a lot of the little things that stick out like a sore thumb to you would go unnoticed by most. Regardless, it looks like a million bucks compared to what you started with. I've seen those org stickers on a few cars, does someone sell them?
 

turbohf

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 18, 2011
Messages
540
Location
Lake Stevens, WA
wow, that really does look good. i spent a little time looking my car over. most seemed like it might be reasonable to wrap, but the bumpers, front in particular (US models) seemed like it would be a bitch and be best to do in at least 2 parts.

you have the bumper off the car when wrapping?
 

NateCrisman

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 22, 2008
Messages
2,054
Location
Blairstown, NJ
Quoting Yohler:
Really coming together. I think a lot of the little things that stick out like a sore thumb to you would go unnoticed by most. Regardless, it looks like a million bucks compared to what you started with. I've seen those org stickers on a few cars, does someone sell them?



exactly. I know where every wrinkle is, and they stick out to me. One of the advantages of wrap is that I can always go back and re-do an area or panel if it motivates me in the future. Im on the lookout for a non-rusted and no-ding rear pass door to swap on. That door has a lot of dings and the worst wrinkles. Had I painted the car...you don't really have the option to swap body parts later or re-do the paint in areas at your whim.

My gaol is not perfection. I have no illusions of grandeur that the car is going to be a show car or pristine example. The goal of this wrap is to turn an ugly duck into a "10ft car".....from 10ft away this car will look like a million bucks. In photos, you can't see any of the minor imperfections in the wrap. This car is going to get lettering for my business, and be the "logo car" for my business advertising. No-one is going to see a few 1/8" long wrinkles on T-shirts, business cards, Facebook and ebay banners, and forum signature pics. hahaha

It will turn heads at the racetrack, and frankly, Im going to best unless I mention it, vast majority of people just taking a quick look in the pits are going to assume it was just painted.



Quoting turbohf:
wow, that really does look good. i spent a little time looking my car over. most seemed like it might be reasonable to wrap, but the bumpers, front in particular (US models) seemed like it would be a bitch and be best to do in at least 2 parts. You have the bumper off the car when wrapping?



The front bumper was done on the car mounted and has quite a few seams in obvious places on the top, that I "could have" done in one big piece, but require cutting an 8+ft long strip off the roll to go wheel well to wheel well . I was so frustrated with the front bumper after a failed attempt on saturday night where I wasted an 8ft section that I just kinda said 'F-it" and pieced it together with leftover cuttings from the doors and 1/4's.

It seemed kinda foolish to spend another 8ft long chunk off the roll (like say $60 of material) just to likely wrinkle and screw it up anyway. might as well screw up using scraps and see how it goes. When my skills get better and Im not in a rush to finish I'll redo it

and frankly..it was only 52* in the garage yesterday. The material is supposed to work best at 73-75*...you would be amazed at how crunchy and brittle it is at 50* vs how smooth and pliable/stretchy it is when warm. Due to temp, Im constantly having to use heat gun to warm the material to relax the wrinkles...so Im working one handed all the time which leads to more wrinkles and bunches. When the material is cooler..it doesn't squeegee out smooth, it tends to stick harder and bunch up.

For a part as hard as the front bumper and for as novice as I am...I need advantages like correct temps and both hands, not disadvantages of crunchy material, stress, and one hand. I'll re-do the bumper with only one hidden seam the first time I lower the car too much and scrub the bumper on a parking decider and tear up the wrap. hahaha Then ill also sand down all the old paint imperfections and chips that show through.
 
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NateCrisman

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 22, 2008
Messages
2,054
Location
Blairstown, NJ
So close to being done...this week has been hecktic busy and I just didn't have much time to spend on 418. But, I pulled a late one last night till 2am cranking out the rear bumper on the living room floor:

Satin black vinyl for the door window frames:
IMG_3468-L.jpg


Rear bumper is ready to mount; gotta make some brackets for the sides unless I can find a set of "JDM yo" side brackets.
IMG_3469-L.jpg


Updated to do list:

[*]Fab brackets and mount JDM-YO rear pumper cover
[*]Swap door glass from three "parts car" doors into my existing doors (already nicely tinted)
[*]Wrap black over tail light backing plate and over chrome edges o the 92 tails...then install tail lights
[*]Install JDM-YO foglights and wire up the turn signals.
[*]Install wing (after brother-in-law returns it to me pre wrapped)
[*]Install rear freshly painted glass trim
[*]Decide what Grill Im going to use..clean/paint/wrap & install
[*]go buy new windshield wash pissers...Im thinking LED light up chrome skulls /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rofl.gif
[*]Design & Print vinyl logos/lettering for Performance Partout to slather over a fresh clean car
[/list]


On another note, I picked up a 1gB parts car that has a nice set of Enkei 17x7 silver RPO2 wheels, 5lug hubs, 4bolt rear that will be the likely donner for #418's running gear. Obviously gotta swap the snow tires out for regular street meats and do a complete cleaning on those wheels...but they will look nice and are reasonably light at about 16.5-17lb each.

IMG_3470-L.jpg
 
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transparentdsm

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 27, 2011
Messages
3,690
Location
Cherry Hill, NJ
car is looking really good Nate. im really considering vinyl wrapping mine. i also have those rims and i love the way they look on the car.
 

GVR4ZUM

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 8, 2002
Messages
1,455
Location
SoCal, USA
It looks really good Nate, thousand times better. I like silver on these cars. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/applause.gif
 

NateCrisman

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 22, 2008
Messages
2,054
Location
Blairstown, NJ
Quoting transparentdsm:
car is looking really good Nate. I'm really considering vinyl wrapping mine. i also have those rims and i love the way they look on the car.



Yup, Im looking these rims too, they are very similar looking to the ones I had on #139, but these are actually high quality, vs the crappy knockoffs on 139.



Quoting GSTwithPSI:
How durable is this stuff, and what's the lifespan?



It's Avery Dennisson 900 series vinyl, and I think it's "warranty" for something like 5 years on horizontal surfaces and 2 years on vertical surfaces....and they adjust the warranty time by like half if it's 24/7 outdoors vs stored indoors.

realistically, if it lasts a full year and I have to re-do it next spring/summer...I'd be pretty happy with that. Im sure by then all the blemishes will bug the crap out of me an I'll be itching for a new color change and a new opportunity to do a bette job on the install.

Quoting GVR4ZUM:
It looks really good Nate, thousand times better. I like silver on these cars.



Thanks...The silver was not my first choice, but it's what we had on hand, and it was a color that's understated and looks correct on a boxy 4dr camry. Im REAL happy with how it's turning out, better than I originally thought. Wrapping the car screaming yellow, or bright red, while interesting, does kinda look a little out of place and childish. Next time Im thinking maybe a metallic blue or a rust color dark orange.
 
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NateCrisman

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 22, 2008
Messages
2,054
Location
Blairstown, NJ
Progress:

Overnight Parts from Japan (my JDM rear bumper brackets finally arrived) /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/idea.gif
IMG_3473-L.jpg


I wrapped the 92 tail lights in gloss black....Im iffy on this...it's too glossy, maybe re-do with satin material eventually...unless it grows on me.
IMG_3475-L.jpg


The Coup De' Gras: (originally a green 92 grill from #139)
IMG_3477-L.jpg


The grill was done SEAMLESS with one sheet. Im getting way better at this...other than a couple tiny little wrinkles on the top (only ever see it with hood open)....you'd swear that's paint.
 
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ApexHunter

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 25, 2007
Messages
1,992
Location
Marysville, WA
Them's some pretty exotic looking rear bumper brackets. I'm sure G is dying to know your sources.

Definitely interested to see how those tail lights will look when it's all together again. Cool idea to mess with that spot anyway.

This is turning out even better than i expected, nice work man.

More silver vr4 pics here: click
 

NateCrisman

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 22, 2008
Messages
2,054
Location
Blairstown, NJ
Quoting ApexHunter:
Them's some pretty exotic looking rear bumper brackets. I'm sure G is dying to know your sources. Definitely interested to see how those tail lights will look when it's all together again. Cool idea to mess with that spot anyway. This is turning out even better than i expected, nice work man.



I like the shape of 92 tail lights more than 91, and the red is more vibrant vs the 91 where they look "smoked" a bit. BUT I hate how the side lower clear sections on 92's are all dark looking don't match the very clear and bright lower center piece. So I figured why not try this...worst case..I peel it off and try something else. Not to mention covering up the chrome edges.

13256082_10206212319842633_8135041779923985225_n.jpg


Here's the 92 taillights still on the parts car I got them from...illustrates what Im talking about:
IMG_1962-L.jpg


Getting SO FREAKING CLOSE to having it done, yet still so far away. I gotta get grill clips at the shop to install that. I need my BIL to freaking wrap the wing and install that. Tomorrow I'll cut/drill/fab the simple rear bumper brackets and put the rear bumper cover on. Also gotta figure out little tabs to keep the red side lights from falling out...they are just "press fit" into the JDM rear bumper cause pre owner of the cover cut those out. Gotta go grab long 6mm 1.0 screws to install the JDM foglight up front. Gotta snag a new set of pissers at NAPA for the hood. And I gotta swap 3 door glass for the tinted one, and put the interior panels back on.

Im hoping to be done with my current partout (1gB talon) and have open lift at shop by end of week....then bring 418 up there to swap shocks/springs/5lug hubs/17" enkei wheels/fresh brakes on. Probably should do the ABS delete and AWS delete at the same time as that stuff.

MAN Im never going to drive the car!
 
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NateCrisman

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 22, 2008
Messages
2,054
Location
Blairstown, NJ
Every part that was wrapped off the car was done sitting on the living room floor, it was certainly cleaner than the garage!
 

NateCrisman

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 22, 2008
Messages
2,054
Location
Blairstown, NJ
Well...slow going, but I got the 4 door glass swapped over for the nicely tinted ones...and got 3/4 interior door panels back together. Also swapped out a few misc things..door speakers, one chrome handle that was peeling. Got the car off jack stands, battery hooked back up. Im going to drive it up to the ship this weekend and make the rear bumper brackets. Then it should be back to daily driver use. Wrap project took 4 freaking weeks!!!!
 

NateCrisman

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 22, 2008
Messages
2,054
Location
Blairstown, NJ
Drove 418 up to the shop, will finish up the work where I have tools, supplies, and space (garage in my house is getting HOT and cramped). Next up is making mounting brackets for the rear bumper cover, installing the wing, foglights, grill, and rear window trim. Then onto mechanical changes/setup/tuning.

IMG_3491-L.jpg


IMG_3489-L.jpg


IMG_3490-L.jpg


IMG_3488-L.jpg


IMG_3487-L.jpg


IMG_3486-L.jpg
 

NateCrisman

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 22, 2008
Messages
2,054
Location
Blairstown, NJ
pre-5AM TOONERING on the drive to work.
Complete:
[*]Stockintake manifold swap
[*]SD conversion with GM AIT and Omni 4bar map.
[*]Make a nice 4" aluminum inlet pipe with a big-ass-filter.
[*]GizmoVR4 re-welded my TB elbow to make it fit with stock manifold, added the air bung, and left me an 1.8npt tapped hole for future fun (meth).
[*]DSMlink boost control setup/working and set to 20psi.
[/list]

Today's project is swapping new gapped spark plugs, Im getting misfires at 20psi now. Once misfires are gone, Im planning to get boost up to 24-25psi for 93oct pump gas and work the tune at that boost level for everyday driving.

Still have tons of things on the To-Do list:

[*]Swap in a nice steering wheel...and figure out why windshield wipers don't work
[*]Clean up engine bay...wire/hose routing, make nicer bracket for FPR
[*]Mount the rear JDM-YO bumper, put on wing, rear window trim.
[*]4bolt rear & AWS delete
[*]ABS Delete
[*]Interior cleanup: swap driver seat, dye carpet
[*]Like to find a double din bluetooth radio
[/list]


IMG_3695-X2.jpg


Sorry for crappy iPhone pic:
IMG_3692-X2.jpg
 
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