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My restoration and build of #1444/2000 - lots of pics and video!

the_underdog

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Joined
Dec 14, 2010
Messages
264
Location
Knoxville, TN
</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quoting coyotes:</font><hr />
Yup, I am about to do a full detail on mine once I get to use my buddy's garage and it should not be fun. Car is pretty clean overall but I am just reminded of hours of claying and buffing. Whee…

Engine bay isn't too dirty. I am scared to hose it down though, may just clean it by hand or ignore it!

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

Well good luck with it! Detailing is a slog, but once you start to see some progress it helps keep you going to see the end result.
 

the_underdog

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Joined
Dec 14, 2010
Messages
264
Location
Knoxville, TN
Quoting G:
Also use this rubberized undercoating next time. click



I would like to properly restore the car someday, thanks for the info.
 

the_underdog

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Joined
Dec 14, 2010
Messages
264
Location
Knoxville, TN
</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quoting Pot:</font><hr />
Specifically the 2nd row far right product: 3M™ Body Schutz™ Rubberized Coating, Black, Quart, 08864 -This is what the factory service manual calls for. On a separate note, isn't the valve stem supposed to align with the orange dot on the sidewall of the tire for more precise balancing of the wheel? Either way please keep your video's coming, I'm really enjoying them.

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

Thank you Pot and I'm glad you like the videos! I am familiar with the valve stem/orange dot lining up, I know I was taught to do it that way. This tire shop usually does that, but no dice this time I guess and I forgot to check. That said, the car doesn't have even the slightest out of balance tire behavior at any speed, which makes it a great highway cruiser. I just wish it had a deeper overdrive gear.
 

the_underdog

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Dec 14, 2010
Messages
264
Location
Knoxville, TN
Quoting 89Mirageman:
Pot, I've always heard that too about the dot lining up with the valvestem. Not sure if it actually matters or not though. The tire shops around here suck too and I hold my breath every time I drop something off hoping they don't screw up too bad.

I agree about the videos, I check his channel and Jafromobile for updates on YT about once a week.



I dread having to go to the tire shop, and I hate to hear that most everyone has had similarly bad experiences. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif Thank you for checking out the videos, I love Jafro's videos too and always drop everything to watch them immediately when they come out!
 

the_underdog

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Joined
Dec 14, 2010
Messages
264
Location
Knoxville, TN
Quoting toybreaker:
Sorry for speaking out and posting pics in your thread Tom, but I want to the see the video of how you handle this task, and I figgered if I raised the bar a lil, you'd knock it out of the park. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif




First off, thanks for the engine detail tips and pictures. The plastic wrap protection is a cool idea! That looked like a big old dirty job, but it turned out great from where I sit!

Also, thank you for the very kind words and support! I know by making these videos I'm putting myself out there for criticism and such, but I don't mind that. Heck, I've learned TONS from others who've watched a video and suggested a better or different way to do things, and I always appreciate it. Many times folks are direct or even harsh in their critiques, but everybody's different. I try to look past that. I don't claim to be an expert in this stuff, I just enjoy sharing what I'm working on with everybody. I don't consider my videos step-by-step "how to" like many I've seen, I just like telling a story of a process or journey and I'm just happy folks seem to enjoy and find them interesting!

Anywho, thank you again!
 

the_underdog

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Dec 14, 2010
Messages
264
Location
Knoxville, TN
Quoting G:
They are great videos, they are just funny. Almost like the targeted youtube audience is novice car owners. Were talking basic detailing vids. He already explained he edited and posted the vids backwards not the detailing. My 3m recommendation is a good one. Eastwood spray paint? C'mon. Pro-tip > use some 22ple vm1 on the wheels and the exhaust tips!



Thank you G. I'm not attempting to target any certain audience, but I could see how someone who has more experience would find some of the topics basic or mundane. That said, I often skip tons of small steps that I consider basic and have folks tell me that they wish I would've covered them.

For the Galant series especially, I'm really just sharing my video journal of fixing up this great old car and bringing it back to form. I like telling a story and taking folks on a journey. Same goes for the Grand National videos. I had plenty of tech in there, but the purpose was to honor the car's heritage while adding a blend of performance and drivability improvements to make it an all-around better car.
 

the_underdog

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Dec 14, 2010
Messages
264
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Knoxville, TN
Quoting 89Mirageman:
G, what you fail to understand is that Tom isn't asking anyone for advice. He's simply showing us how he did it and what he used to get such good results. I can't imagine how many hours it takes to shoot those videos and then more time to edit them. He could have just cleaned his car up and shot before and after pics but he goes several steps further to share his experience to help others out.

Also I'm not saying that Tom is above good advice, none of us are. But to say that your ways are superior is a little arrogant to say the least. This guy knows what he is doing. Also, nothing wrong with Eastwood products. I've gotten great results with everything I've bought from them.



Thank you for saying this and you're absolutely right that I'm just chronicling my process/journey. Good or bad, efficient or otherwise, it's the best way I knew at the time how to go about things given the time and resources at hand.

That said, I have received tons of great advice from people watching the videos. Many suggest other products or different processes and I find this very valuable. Some of it is personal preference - in the case of the fender well paint that I used, I realize that proper undercoating would be the correct way to restore the vehicle to factory specs. I have been a part of frame-off, factory-spec restorations on truly rare vehicles in the past. In this case, it was just a general quick tip that can make crummy fender wells look good again. I hope I have the opportunity to do a proper restoration on this car someday!

The only reason I started posting these videos is because I got bored doing plain old "words and pictures" project/racing updates on my website and forums. I had been doing those types of posts in one form or another since 1998 and wanted to try something new. After putting the first video out, I couldn't believe the positive response I received! I was completely surprised by that.

As time has gone by, the process of creating and sharing these videos has been like rediscovering the car hobby all over again. People from all over are sending me pictures of their cars, telling me stories, making their own videos and cool stuff like that. I had a guy recently tell me that he had a major procedure in the hospital and videos like mine helped him through it all. How cool is that?

They do take tons of time to make. Shooting the video, compiling it all, writing the script, doing the voiceover, making the music, editing, more editing, even more editing...haha! But the response and camaraderie have been simply incredible and have motivated me to do much more than I thought I could do with this stuff. Most of all it has been a truly fun experience!

Apologies for the super long-winded response. Back to Galant stuff please! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 

G

Staff member
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Feb 24, 2004
Messages
8,896
Location
zompton
They are great videos, I enjoy watching them because I'm a fellow enthusiast. I'm glad you're not offended by my input. Keep up the good work.
 

EHmotorsports

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Sep 25, 2012
Messages
1,278
Location
Beaverton
dont worry Tom. G has to sh*t on everything /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

just poking fun G /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 

fuel

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Joined
Feb 23, 2009
Messages
2,165
Location
Toronto, ON, Canada
great video, takes me back to when I refurbed my OE wheels too! I did mine when I had the tyres off already awaiting new tyres which made it much easier to handle, but I regret not taking the time to mask up the machined portion of the rim edge instead I opted to just rough them up like the rest of the paint surface and spray over them. Though you can barely notice as the rims were sprayed in the same metallic silver they originally were (OE JDM rims are not body coloured) but it's always something I will remember!

Also when you clean up the engine bay, make sure you replace the oil filler cap with an original Mitsubishi one rather than the gas station special it has on there at the moment.
 

the_underdog

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Dec 14, 2010
Messages
264
Location
Knoxville, TN
Quoting G:
They are great videos, I enjoy watching them because I'm a fellow enthusiast. I'm glad you're not offended by my input. Keep up the good work.



Thank you G, much appreciated!
 

the_underdog

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Joined
Dec 14, 2010
Messages
264
Location
Knoxville, TN
Quoting EHmotorsports:
dont worry Tom. G has to sh*t on everything /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

just poking fun G /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif



Haha! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 

the_underdog

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Joined
Dec 14, 2010
Messages
264
Location
Knoxville, TN
Quoting fuel:
great video, takes me back to when I refurbed my OE wheels too! I did mine when I had the tyres off already awaiting new tyres which made it much easier to handle, but I regret not taking the time to mask up the machined portion of the rim edge instead I opted to just rough them up like the rest of the paint surface and spray over them. Though you can barely notice as the rims were sprayed in the same metallic silver they originally were (OE JDM rims are not body coloured) but it's always something I will remember!

Also when you clean up the engine bay, make sure you replace the oil filler cap with an original Mitsubishi one rather than the gas station special it has on there at the moment.



Thank you Phillip and I love your car! I've studied the pictures in your members showcase many times.

Masking the machined edge was very time consuming. Something I didn't include in the video was polishing that part of the wheel. It had a clear coat that had yellowed and was flaking off in spots. I spent hours getting that off there and bringing the shine back. I agree that with the factory metallic silver few folks would notice that machined edge being painted over (I think it looks awesome), but with white wheels, I thought it would look like too much white without them. Thanks again!

Thank you also for that tip on the oil cap. I absolutely hate those junk oil filler caps and almost every Mitsu I've ever bought had one on it. I chuck them in the garbage immediately. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 

89Mirageman

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Jul 5, 2006
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2,502
Location
Stantonsburg, NC
I'm glad someone else noticed the machined lip. When you were scrubbing them I was saying to myself "I really hope he cleans the lips up" lol. I did notice they were quite a bit brighter once you unmasked them and figured you skipped this part on the video to save time.
 

the_underdog

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Joined
Dec 14, 2010
Messages
264
Location
Knoxville, TN
Quoting 89Mirageman:
I'm glad someone else noticed the machined lip. When you were scrubbing them I was saying to myself "I really hope he cleans the lips up" lol. I did notice they were quite a bit brighter once you unmasked them and figured you skipped this part on the video to save time.



In retrospect, I should've covered that! It seemed so boring at the time and it was a job that I really hated. The polishing part wasn't so bad, but removing that clear coat was just awful! The results were worth it though, they look factory fresh again! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 

the_underdog

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Dec 14, 2010
Messages
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Knoxville, TN
Quoting ScreaminE:
FB promised a new video tomorrow /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif:



You know it man! I'll be posting it on here when it's live! I'll also be hosting a special screening at the Carmike 10 next to South Hills Village. Afterward we can all head to the TGI Fridays down by the Home Depot. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Last edited:

the_underdog

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Joined
Dec 14, 2010
Messages
264
Location
Knoxville, TN
Hello All, it's new video time! This time around we tackle our most formidable job yet - that filthy engine bay!

Galant VR-4 Engine Bay Detail - YouTube

I’ve seen worse, but it was still a pretty big task!

IMG_6967.jpg


IMG_7001.jpg


Thank you as always for watching!

-Tom
 

bobdole

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Joined
Aug 23, 2007
Messages
866
Location
U.K.
Nice video Tom. Reminds me when I did mine. You are doing a great job.
 
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