1/7/12
This is just a crappy teaser shot but I was excited my GV eyelids finally showed up, so I set them on the car and took a picture, little more attitude on the front end and the projector retrofits really do look like eyeballs with them on there:
1/16/12
I got the eyelids back from paint today, it was too late for any decent light, but this is an ok preview. I think it looks mean.
They're not "installed" yet though, I need to install my new projectors before I attach the eyelids to the headlights.
1/17/12
Took a couple quick shots in the overcast light this afternoon:
1/25/12
I picked up a Tein Flex setup from atlnb tonight (lucky guy now has Xida CS coilovers, they're NICE!), I won't be installing them until I get a set of 9kg springs for the front (currently 7/6), so I cleaned them up instead. lol
Now I just need to find a new home for the Bilstein PSS coilovers that are on the car, they're a great setup, just don't have the adjustability I now want. I also need to find the time to work on my own car, the parts are piling up.
2/3/12
Got my 9kg springs for the Flexes in the mail today, I'm really itching to install my FM frame rails and the Teins, but gotta focus on Dave's car for the time being:
2/14/12
I made time to install my frame rails tonight:
Ran into a couple of snags: one of the fuel/brake line retainer studs that FM welds to the passenger side rail was missing, so had to create a solution, easy enough with a drill bit and a self-tapping bolt. They also shorted the bag by two or three mounting bolts, but I tore through my parts bins until I found the spare bolts I had, fortunately the right size.
I didn't drive the car tonight after finishing, but I remember the difference they made on my NA, so I'm prepared for what I'll experience tomorrow morning during the drive to work.
And a word of advice, if you're doing anything that requires drilling through the body (frame rails, roll bar, etc.) pick yourself up a Dewalt Pilot Point bit or the set, I got the 16-pc set (up to 1/2") last night for $20 at Home Depot as it's the better buy than buying just one bit and I'll use them. But they go through our cars like butter, even the layered sections of metal, and they stay true to where you start drilling:
2/16/12
Just a quick preview, obviously not mounted or quite in the proper location, but it does give an idea of things to come.
2/19/12
Well, the Teins are in and the Bilstein coilovers have a nice new home. For once, I don't have any pictures of the install, but after some more adjusting today, they're finally where I want them and they are definitely an awesome setup!
Meanwhile I got the painting done on the test retrofit shroud. The paint is curing, but as far as we can tell the light won't be able to bleed through the painted portion, so it looks promising. More work on that tomorrow, and some other projects, as I have the day off from work.
Danny, being the awesome friend he is, ordered a set of the RevLimiter FC gauges for me and we installed those tonight (crappy night time shots ahead):
I love them! Although I'm going to have to relocate my ScanGauge for the 3rd time. lol
2/20/12
Here's the gauges with some natural lighting:
I also messed with the retrofit a bit today but didn't get to do much with it this weekend. I spent yesterday messing with my suspension and gauges and today helping Danny swap his radiator and his gauges.
The original smoked graphite shroud is on the right, I didn't think I'd like being able to see through it when the HIDs would be on, so I set about coating them. I masked off the accents and the front ring and I painted it. I put an HID up to it and there was no light bleed-through in the painted portion, so that's good.
Here's with the CCFL in place:
You can see how the accents will light up with the CCFLs or the HIDs:
And with one of the projectors in place:
3/27/12
I've had occasional issues with the radiator hoses sealing properly to my PWR radiator, at least one of them wants to seep fluid sometimes. I don't use worm clamps, oddly enough the OEM clamps weren't working and neither were the ABA reverse torque clamps (same as BEGi uses, usually work without issue). So I went to the next step: t-bolt clamps. Now there are no more problems. And hey, they look cool.
4/19/12
I was tired of being blinded in the mornings while driving into the rising sun, always seems to hit where the visors don't cover, so I got a 5% upper strip of tint installed. The installer talked me into a light tint on the whole windshield at the same time. Overall it's much better and I can still see clearly at night, I was concerned about that when we were talking about installing it, but now I don't get as blinded by jacked up trucks and cars with HIDs in reflector housings. And the car stays a little bit cooler during the day now too.
I also decided to work on the Morette tail lights again, I had to make a repair on the shroud on one side, so while that was curing I polished the lenses and sealed/assembled the other side:
Compared to faded lenses:
Hopefully I'll be able to assemble the other side tomorrow after work. Maybe even install them.
4/20/12
The passenger's side part of the rear bumper has not always lined up with the rear quarter panel, it's been like this for about as long as I can recall having the car. While I had the tail lights out tonight I noticed that the clip on the inside of the bumper wasn't attached to the clip on the chassis. So I popped the wheel off, removed some screws, and put the bumper into place. Now it looks better and doesn't bother my OCD self anymore. lol I like simple fixes.
And the Morette tail lights are installed and weathersealed. I'm pretty sure I'm going to keep them, at least for a while. I do like them though!
And that's where the car is at as of today.
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