CharcoalBird

iTrader: (4)

I've been waiting to get some professional pictures taken for the longest time, finally got some. There are more to come in the coming days. Here is what the car looked like from the day I brought it home, progression pictures, to just this morning.

StevenB L98/LS1

Very impressed with the turnout, any plans to exchange the v6 out for a v8?

NowhereFast

You have one of the best looking cars on this board CB.

The whole thing looks fantastic. The black wheels with the polished lip look great, and they go well with the paint. Your car even pulled off the RA II hood spectacularly.

I was shocked when I saw you had a V6. You would never guess by looking at it.

Orinackra

My favorite part is how you're missing the gfx in the earlier stages, and you're missing it now too. :P

Jk, you know I have to razz you a little. Those wheels really do look great on there, especially in that *** shot. It's night and day a different car. Makes me almost regret selling mine.

CharcoalBird

iTrader: (4)

Yes, maybe next year. That is a big maybe though.

Ha, thank you, that is probably the best compliment the car has ever gotten.

Yeah, people somewhat lose interest in it when I tell them it is only a V6. One day that will change.

Damn those gfx and their ease of being broken. I have replaced those things more than any other part on the car. My first set soon after I bought the car, I pulled up too far to those concrete parking stops(was still learning how long the front end was.) Next was St. Patties day at a bar, I came out to my car to leave and someone had broken the passenger side off. Not long after that I was leaving a gas station and the exit wasn't lighted, ended up breaking the driver side off in a really big dip. This last time was the very first day of having the car back on the road after almost 2 years and a bag of trash had fallen on the highway taking out the passenger side. I have the replacement in my workshop waiting to get painted. I'm hoping this is the last set because if not, i'm just buying Hawks repro's and leave the originals for people who don't have bad luck with them.

2007xl50

Not a fan of the hood, but over all super nice car-you did a very good job on it.

FooFighters92

iTrader: (2)

Insanely nice car man. That paint with the tint and black wheels looks great.

What rims are those?

CharcoalBird

iTrader: (4)

Thank you. They are XXR 526, 18x9 up front and 18x10.5 out back.

LHernandezJr

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CharcoalBird

iTrader: (4)

Thank you, Luis. I originally had the same wheels as you, the 15x7 and decided to upgrade to the 16x8 Formula wheels. They will definitely add to the look of your car while maintaining the style. Try and find 4 fronts as the rears have less of a lip to them.

-Jim

LHernandezJr

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2007xl50

Don't run all fronts. I have the PW7 wheels on my car and you notice a differance from the fronts to the rears so swaped them out. I now have the deeper fronts on the rear and vice versa. I had to run a 1/4" spacer on teh fronts, but no big deal and the car looks way way better.

CharcoalBird

iTrader: (4)

That is also an option. Would cost less. Either way...you will be pleased with them over the standard 15".

LHernandezJr

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CharcoalBird

iTrader: (4)

The first set in 87' was actually different than the 88-92' versions. I had the 88-92' version on my car which concaved. Since the 87s were only available on the Formula for 1 year, they are harder to find. Here is a link for the info on the wheels. Post #7 has the pictures so you can see the difference.

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/hist...la-wheels.html

LHernandezJr

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LHernandezJr

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CharcoalBird

iTrader: (4)

Nice T/A.

maks10

WAAAAAAYYYYYYYYY too cool CB!!!!!


ur car really has done wonders from the first pics .... and this pic vvvv

CharcoalBird

iTrader: (4)

Thanks Mak. I didn't think I would ever get it to this point as long as it was taking me.

CharcoalBird

iTrader: (4)

So yesterday was very slow at work. During lunch I decided to do some detail work to the car. I started off with taking the paint off the exhaust tips that the paint shop neglected to mask.



Some of it was already starting to peel off so I started in those area and worked outwards from there. I used some all-purpose cleaner and some steel wool and they came out great.



Sometime this week I will pull it on the lift at work and clean down there.

Next I decided to clean the door panels. They didn't look dirty, but I wanted to see how they would clean up. I've had the car for 8 years and have never cleaned the fabric (). Needless to say, i'm glad I did because the previous owner must have had coke spilled on the passenger side and I never even noticed it.





Yes I know, gross. I want to hit it once more to make sure all of it is out. I was going to do the seats and carpet but the fabric is so worn out, they need to be replaced instead. Also ran out of time.

dprest68

iTrader: (1)

Wow Jim, nice transformation of your car! It looks great! Just leave the hood down at car shows and keep everyone guessing until you get a V8 in it!
Wow Luis, I don't know where you found that pic, but my '85 that I used to have looked exactly like that car except I had the rear spoiler like yours. Weird

LHernandezJr

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CharcoalBird

iTrader: (4)

Thanks, dp. I will probably leave it down. It needs some attention in there.

What show? Much more to do before then.

carlos64030

iTrader: (1)

Amazing transformation!

FooFighters92

iTrader: (2)

That's nasty...nice clean up!

Rob's 92 gta

The car looks nice

CharcoalBird

iTrader: (4)

Thanks guys.

I was going to polish my front brakes but it was too dark out to do so. Plus, I don't have an outlet in my carport. Hell, I don't have one anywhere outside I just noticed. That needs to be addressed. Will be out helping bradley23150 tomorrow, so it own't be till late til I can actually do anything if at all. I need a garage ASAP. My workshop needs the garage door mod soon!!!!!

NowhereFast

What did you use for that? I don't think any fabric in my car has ever been cleaned.

CharcoalBird

iTrader: (4)

I used part all purpose cleaner and water. The vacuum you see in the picture has a water separator so once I scrubbed good with a brush, I wiped it with a towel and then vacuumed it dry. I also have a hot water extractor I could use but that would be for the carpet and seats.

CharcoalBird

iTrader: (4)

Back in 2010 I tinted my taillights but decided to go back to original. Now i'm debating whether to do it again.




I think I will tint them again. Maybe not so dark this time.

LHernandezJr

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dprest68

iTrader: (1)

Yeah, I think I agree with Luis. It adds a little extra flavor to your already cool ride!

CharcoalBird

iTrader: (4)

Started polishing the calipers today. I have a lot of work ahead of me. I'm also thinking of just grinding down all raised marking as they are a pita to sand around. When I bought the car is came with these. I have never carfaxed the car so I don't know of any previous damage that may have been done. The calipers as well as the strut mounts have junk yard writing on them. Yes I will replace them both, one day.




Also started to do the tint on the taillights and clear the center section. It sprays on fairly dull. Once dry I will lightly sand it with 1000 or 1500 dry, and then spray on some clearcoat. I moved the lights to a non-dusty place so nothing would get into them. Will let them dry and continue with them tomorrow. Excuse the mess in the workshop. Leaves and such blow in there easily. I plan to swap out that door and put a large roll up or garage door so I can actually park my car in there. Right now my mower won't even fit in there.




Mud dauber nest behind the taillight. I also taped up the mounting holes so nothing would get inside. That is the bad thing about living outside of the city. Mud daubers, frogs, snakes, rats, more species of spiders than I can count, and an endless supply of roaches. I went to fill up the gas tank the other day and on the gas cap was a bright orange and black spider and a huge roach.

CharcoalBird

iTrader: (4)

So I put a second coat of clear after the first was already dry...also cleared 1 taillight and both had this white color to it. Will wetsand it smooth and hope the white/haze comes out. I know paint goes bad over time, but does clear? I shook the can pretty well. This is temporary by the way. Eventually I will do it the correct way and shoot it with a real paint gun.

LHernandezJr

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maks10

looks good...never bothered with clearcoat with vht though usually came out nice

calipers alot nicer too when polished!!!

CharcoalBird

iTrader: (4)

Vht has always turned out dull for me.

Thank, Mac. Still have more polishing to do to calipers.

cal30_sniper

iTrader: (16)

Sweet. That might be the first RAII hood I've seen on a 3rd Gen that I actually like. Seeing the progression pictures really shows how far you've come with that thing, keep up the good work.

Got any down the road plans for what kind of V8 you're going to go with when you do the swap?

-cal30sniper

CharcoalBird

iTrader: (4)

Thank you, Cal30! Probably LQ4/9.

Finished the tail lights. Took some 1000 wet, then 1500, then 2000 followed by some compound and they actually shined up nicely. Definitely not perfect though. They need to be replaced anyway so when I buy a new set I will take them somewhere to be done. Need to do the third brake light on the wing also. It is non-functional but I can't remove it due to the wing having been painted on-car. Please excuse the car. It is impossible to keep it clean under the car port.




I'm thinking about just leaving the brakes alone also. A lot of work to polish them only to replace them one day.

LHernandezJr

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maks10

^looks good,IMO i would rather keep the ones i did rather than a shops work bc its ur work....nothings perfect especially older cars

yes the calipers will eventually be replaced but u can clean them up nicely with a drill and wire brush attachement quickly and will accent the new wheels alot more (until new ones)

Some motivation CB

PS may be in FL nov 10 keep u posted

maks10

wire brush
before :


after:

CharcoalBird

iTrader: (4)

Make, that looks much better. Do you have any close up pictures of your caliper?

Awesome, we will have to do something if you have time while you are down here.

maks10

ill have to take one

dprest68

iTrader: (1)

I just cleaned my calipers up with the wire wheel and painted them with the aluminum color brake paint. Turned out real nice. Something to think about maybe.

Before:


After:

CharcoalBird

iTrader: (4)

I'm off to the store to buy a wire wheel.

Those look 100x better, Mike and Dave.

dprest68

iTrader: (1)

Thanks Jim

cal30_sniper

iTrader: (16)

I just used a big welders wire brush from Tractor Supply, some mineral spirits, and gloss black/silver caliper paint on mine. I went with the black so they would stay a little more clean. I should have painted the axle ends, but they were supposed to be covered by centercaps. I left the centercaps in the sun while they were drying, and they melted. Thanks Texas.




The paint as held up very well for several months. Luckily, my wheel design lets me clean it off when I wash the car without taking the wheel all the way off.

-cal30sniper

CharcoalBird

iTrader: (4)

Good job Texas, mucho calor!!!! I lived in and grew up in El Paso. That Texas sun is killer.