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Some new pics

C

ChattavegasSE

Hard-core CEG'er
Joined
Nov 8, 2001
Messages
1,934
Location
Chattanooga, TN
The last time anyone here saw my car, it was crappy and beat up and not very clean. :( But I fixed that!
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I've got a couple more pics from my old school photo shoot - old school because that's my old middle school! :D
 
Have you thought about painting your valences bodycolor? I found that it's a cheap "lowering trick". Mine came with the black skirts front and back, and I eventually got tired of looking like a 4x4. Still looks like a 4x4 but a little less so.

Before:
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Aftaaar!:
IMAG0077-1.jpg


I still need to lower the front because if I can't go fast, I might as well look good going slow. But that's after I replace all the bits of body that keep falling off. German glue quality is the suck.

BTW, are those Slipstreams?! Look very nice. :D

-SAV
 
Sorry Hector, no fancy body mods for me; I tried the badgless grill thing, and it sucked. :(


Thanks, SAV! From one beater Dub to another. :cool: I talked to the guy that did my body work about painting the lower valences, and he said since it's some slick textured material, he might not be able to get the paint to bond to the material. Plus the additional amount of prep work needed would be way over my budget; I was going to have him mold the lower valences to the bumpers to eliminate the seam.

And no, they aren't Rota Slipstream's exactly, they're Nippon F-2 Racers; which weigh and look the same as the Rota's, but cost 1/2 as much. :crazy:
 
Good deal on the "Slipstreams". I've been looking at wheels for my car lately, but it's just a wish. I doubt I'll get any until I hit a pothole big enough to crack one of the 14s on the car now. Hopefully I can get up to some 16s. That'd be nice.

Anyway, your friend was right about the texturing on the valences. Molding them to the bumpers would be cool, but I've learned [the hard way] that the valences are there to hit curbs and shiz. The bottom of my front one is all kinds of beat up. I can't even imagine what the bottoms of the VR6 lips look like. They're even lower than the NA lips.

If you're considering doing it though, it took me about an hour of prep and maybe another hour or two to paint them and clearcoat them. I grabbed the paint code for my car from the local Dub dealer, went to Lowe's and asked them if they had any rattle cans in stock that closest matched my paint code. Then I bought said paint [which is pretty damn close for coming from a rattle can], which was American Tradition Plastic Enamel paint by Valspar. Popped off my front valence, cleaned it up and sanded the bottom smooth where I had already contacted some curbs and went to town. The rear is already molded into the bumpers on MK3s. I know the MK4 is the same up front, but I'm not sure for the rear. Once I had them painted, I cleared them after an evening of letting them set just to make sure the paint grabbed. It's held up fabulously and hasn't peeled off except for where I've rubbed some curbs since then.

Here's a better close up:
IMAG0041-1.jpg


Just an alternative, if you're still considering it. Hopefully I'm done jackin' your thread now. :D

-SAV
 
That might work; I've used several different kinds of paints in my RC/model car hobbies; so I know there are some that really bond to certain materials. Still, I think the lack of side-skirts would be very obvious; since the front and rear valences are below the door line. Side skirts and painted valences would match and be at the same level.


As for the wheels, they are 16x7"s. I got them from NipponWheelHouse on ebay. They were $350 shipped for the set, IIRC. They are availible in your 4-lug application; since lucky you have a 4x100 instead of the lousy (and rare) Focus/Contour 4x108. Search ebay for 'nippon, wheels' and you should turn some up; assuming they're still in business. They were listed as $260 + $110 shipping or best offer. I made an offer for $350 shipped and they sent me an invoice. :cool:
 
Nothing wrong with 4x108 I got the same thing u got except their real knock offs not knock off of knock offs .... tho they raised the prices of em now, i wouldn't have got them if they were $500 like they are now.
 
I mean there's more options for 4x100 than 4x108. But there's even more for 5x100 than the 4-lugs. Plus, I like my knock-off knock-offs. :p
 
Too many options is just confusing. 4x108 has plenty of options. And yeah ur knock off knock offs are aight. They got too much tire on em tho.
 
They've got plenty of tire. The overall package weighs just a few ounces less than stock; they keep the same overall diameter, so the speedometer is still accurate; and they still have enough meat to give comfortable ride quality. The extra width and stickier compound gives the handling advantage. I've had a couple people tell me already I should have gone with 17"s; but that's not what I want. ;)
 
Should go a bit smaller on the sidewall. You get a little better handling, a little better gearing, a little better look, and only lose a little speedo accuracy. Just think about it next time you need tires.
 
Actually, I bought a yellow European '2.0' badge that the Bi-Fuel cars get; but I pulled the yellow off and painted it black. :crazy: I almost put it on the car without painting it.
 
It is. My car inspired another ricer here to paint his hyundai's wipers yellow. I was riding during my lunch break and he looks over at my car a bit more than he usually does. Within the next day or two, he's got yellow wipers. Sad thing is, his basically stock hyundai is faster than my zetec, my rx7, and my escort.
I beat him in the svt one night and he later said he was in the wrong gear and wanted to race again. I told him sure, if we put $200 on it. For some reason he won't race the svt for money.
 
Heh, I've got a different motor. ;) 5x 5mm hex head bolts, 4x 8mm 12pt Torx and my intake manifold comes off. Plus; I bought a used manifold off ebay for super cheap. I need to finish that project. :ponder:
 
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