So gonna start my progression thread, and update it occasionally.
I'll start with how I got my Celica:
So it all started last year in around March, when I got my Red P's and was searching for that first car...
I tested a lancer, a prelude and a Hyundai Coupe... They all had their pluses and minuses, but none felt 'right'...
On the way home from the Prelude, we passed a Ford dealership and sitting in the middle was a little white PreFacelift Celica, as soon as I saw her, I knew she was the one I wanted. When I got home I jumped online and and contacted the dealer; she was an auto (I am not legally allowed to drive manual yet, thanks to my dads non-functioning speedometer).
The next day, my dad drove me and my beautiful girlfriend out to the dealer and we test drove the car. At the end of the test drive the dealer wanted 8k for her. I knew this was steep for it, but she was in almost perfect condition.
The only damage I could pick was a scrape on the passenger side rear wheel fender, a few small dents over her and quite a large dent in the roof (it looked like the previous owner had hit her with his fists)...
With the $8k as a base, we negotiated with the dealer and came out with a total:
- $7700 for the car
- All dents removed from the car
- Brand New 5 treads
- and finally what really made me go for it, A 12 month warranty... on an 18 year old car
Here she was on that exact day, right after out test drive:
A few weeks later, we got a call saying that she was ready for pickup, All the dents had been removed ($1500 worth of dent removal and paint) and she was good to go. A few days later her first photo shoot:
Her Interior and Engine were immaculate for her age:
After a few weeks our small troubles began, she started leaking oil all over the ground... After a call to the dealership, she was booked in for her first warranty inspection... They re-did all engine gaskets and replaced all seals in the engine... When we got her back, she was still leaking... We took her back again and were told that the transmission seals were shot, they were replaced and the engine was flushed out; the leaking stopped... for now...
Over all, the work would of cost ($1800 by the dealer, if not for the warranty).
Ill post the first of many mods in the next few hours or so, Once I get together the photos and know exactly what I want to say
And the Mods Begin:
Sipping over adding iPod connectivity to the car, the mod that got me started was adding my foot well LED's. Now initially, I had planned just to have them installed for extra light at my feet when the door was opened and then off when closed. Simple enough...
But, after thinking more and more, I decided this was the time to start my theme... So to be different from the hype, I chose a blue theme (all my mates were going with Red as a theme)
So I got off onto eBay and ordered my first lot of LED strips for the foot well LEDs. To mix it up, I put a double throw switch in, so I could now turn them on and off myself manually and also have them controlled by the doors. (Why go simple on your first mod eh? )
The first attempt wasn't all that great, some of the LEDs were a different colour to others, and I used this as a learning curve. I contacted the eBayer and they refunded me for the LEDs, and I bought another set which turned out to be great
iPhone Photo:
SLR Photo:
At the same time, we did my mates Lancer and my other mates Corolla. After this; I was hooked... I went back to my house to think of more mods to do
The next mod was driving lights...
After looking at other Celicas in the area, I found the front looked better with driving/fog lights. Now, I didn't want the standard OEM ones (because I like to be different like that). So I started researching lights and prices, I couldn't be bothered getting anything fancy, so I just went to Super Cheap Auto and bought some of their house brand driving lights. I wasn't exspecting much from them, but amazingly they are actually good... Haven't had any issues with them and I actually like them better than the OEM Toyota ones...
Before:
After:
Day:
Night:
I then heard of this stuff called PlastiDip, and decided to check it out at changing my badge colour to black. I was going to paint my rims with it, but it's so expensive here in Australia... ($33 a can...) So I threw that Idea out and decided to just wait for the funds and get new rims
The badges came out alright, its no paint job... But it was good enough for me. It has also lasted, just under a year now
And then I was thinking... What next?
My next mod was my first and only performance mod so far, The exhaust...
Now I wanted something that sounded beefier, but not so loud that it could be heard 4 blocks away. So I took it to a local shop which had done a good job on my mates Lancer.
I am pretty sure its a 2 1/4" Catback but it may be 2.5". I'm not entirely sure. But overall it cost me $250 for piping, muffler, Tip and installation which was not bad at all.
I also like the look of this tip way better than the cover that was on the stock tip. It also sound's a lot better
Before:
After:
I was also starting to get real sick of a few other things on the car:
- The Gauge colour
- The Length of the stock antenna
- The faded 'SX' sticker on the rear.
So I started researching what I should get to replace what I was hating. At the same time My dad had some old air horns from his Holden Panel Van in the garage, and I decided to use them. (By Old I mean, 1970's LOL). It sounds... funny... But meh, louder than the 2 stock electronic pieces of crap.
After installing the air horns, I decided to 'test' them repeatedly (and annoy the neighbors who had partied the whole previous night keeping me awake). The stock fuse held out, and everything was going well... So I thought...
Two days later, I had to go up to the local shops, thanks to a mistake by the guy behind the counter giving me a blank case with no game in it
Anyway, when leaving I got reversed into, causing some pretty bad damage to my fender above the rear wheel... I saw the guy coming, and hit my horn and as luck would have it; the horn fuse blew... YAY!
Luckily, they reversed into me, so their insurance covered me... But, what I found hilarious is that I was reversed into by a guy in a repair shops loner car... xD
Damage:
The photo doesn't really show the damage much... But it was pretty deep and about 30-40cm in diameter
The same people that fixed the car for the dealer did the work, and we were told that was another $1500 worth of dent pulling and painting (Not a cent was paid by me though )
The timing was just perfect; 1 week before my HSC testing.. (Final testing for school in NSW). So I had no car for 3 days of HSC testing
But hey at least the damage was just cosmetic
Right after my HSC, I had nothing to do for a good 3 months. So I applied for Tafe (I am way to Lazy for Uni xD) and bought the parts needed to replace the annoying parts on my car.
Next was the antenna, I bought a 'shark-fin' antenna from Great Britain for $18AUD shipped (again not expecting much but was pleasantly surprised). This was the first major mod to the chassis and I was quite nervous drilling into the roof >.< but all went smoothly and the antenna went on with no water leaks I also got the Blue LED dash kit delivered from eBay which cost $7 for all the needed LEDs. I also bought a set of 10x 3mm Wedge LEDs to replace the power window switch light. I also decided to remove that stupid 'SX' sticker and replace it with a 'TRDSport' badge. I got it off eBay from the United Arab Emirates (of all places) for like $12AUD delivered. I am actually very happy with it, the adhesive was 3m and the build quality was good too
Looking good so far.
Final Post for tonight and this will just about rap it up so far:
As Christmas approached, I decided I wanted a better Headeck. The Sanyo I was using was okay, but the AUX jacks had started playing up and that meant that my iPhone could no longer connect to the unit
I searched for a bit and persuaded my father to purchase a Sony Headdeck with bluetooth
It works great and we just jeryy-rigged the connection off of the Sanyo's lol... So when you look behind my Head deck there are 3 seperate head deck connections xD
In NSW, it's illegal for P platers to even have a phone turned on while they are driving, so the bluetooth allows me to listen to my music with the phone hidden either in the glovebox or my pocket It also auto answers any calls so I can then talk to people too It's illegal for me but meh
I also (after the girlfriend forced me) changed the clock, ashtray, cigarette lighter ring and glove-box lights to pink LEDs. So my theme is now Blue and Pink. I don't mind it actually and it's different
I also added an LED (Not pictured) in the storage space under the head deck, but this has since started flickering and flashing and is going to go
We then approached another problem one afternoon when I started the car, she stalled... that's right, my automatic stalled... After popping the hood, the reason for my stall and a few other problems in the past (low idle etc...) became clear; The PCV valve had a massive crack all the way through it and when I touched it, it sheered straight off... We called the dealer and they booked the car in again for repairs, but how were we going to get her there?
My dad and I searched the garage and found some 'quick gasket repair' crap, and used that to at least hold the valve in place... Amazingly she started and ran, so with dad in the chase car, we set off to the dealer... I got there They replaced the PCV valve and the rear boot seal (it has snapped off) and the next day I got her back. It was luck that she decided to die in the driveway, and not on the road and that she managed to drive back to the dealer with gasket crap as the PCV valve LOL... The mechanic gave us the weirdest look when he saw it xD
I also decided that I hated a few more things:
- The amber indicators on the front and side of the car
- The red courtesy lights in the car
- The red third brake light
So after some research I found that Wolfie on 6GC made the clear third brake light, and could get his hands on the clear courtesy lights from the Tundra that fit perfectly. (Toyota Australia fought me saying I was 'making it up' and that they couldn't special order the part for me, complete bs if you ask me). So I got Wolfie to send them to me and they arrived and installed with no problems whatsoever Unfortunately, by the time I found out about Wolfie, I had already purchased some crystal front and side indicators, but this doesn't bother me as I like their style and they match the side markers.
The final fitment of Wolfie's 3rd brake is spot-on, he does a fantastic job and big props to him:
Even up close, his detail is amazing:
As I as installing the light I decided to screw around a bit with a pink LED:
Wish this was actually legal haha
And as I wrap up the progress for now, recently when browsing eBay for 'Celica' I came across a guy in South Australia selling a Front Bar, Rear Bar and Side Skirts for an VS2 Kit. I watched the items for a few days, and saw that no one was going for them, I decided to go for the skirts, as I am not particularly fond of the flares and crap on the VS2 front and rear bars. As fate would have it, the guy accepted my offer of $120, and to ship them from South Australia to New South Wales cost $60. They were primed but not painted, so I contacted my mate who is a painter, and he is getting me some two-pack to match my car in the next few days, and then we are painting them on Thursday and hopefully they will be installed by next weekend if all goes to plan.
My Cat Liked The skirts and claimed them as his own:
We all know where side skirts go, but meh here is a 'before' shot:
And finally we conducted a 'dry run; to make sure they fit properly:
And finally, the warranty is coming to an end soon and we noticed some more oil on the driveway so we decided to get an NRMA report done to pick anything else up and they have found that the Front Engine Mount is completely cracked (resulting in the whole engine tilting when shifting into reverse) and a major oil leak from the front passenger side transmission seal. The car is going in for repairs on Monday 30th.
Near future plans:
- Paint and Install Side Skirts
- Painting my Calipers Blue to match theme
- Installing some Undercar LEDs just because I can
- Installing front Grille Meshing
- Buying and Installing Black 17x7" Rims
- Buying and fitting Lowering springs or Coilovers.
- Buying and installing front and rear splitters.
Did you put a colored film over the clock or actually changed its light?
Noooo... You never told me it was an auto :'( Oh well, better than not driving at all, but you should make sure you get your full licence as soon as you can
Wasn't cheap, but great condition and good value with that warrenty... You have well and truly taken advantage of that I bought mine from a dealer too (though manual and on the other side of the country) and they werent very interested in helping... When it had an oil leak they got a mechanic up here to do a half-arsed patch up and told him to was the engine down and get it roadworthied before it drips again -.- So I am jealous of that service
I started on the red interior lighting, but got tired of it very quickly at night, and changed everything to blue. I have decided to keep it red by day (seat covers, shift boot and knob etc.) and blue by night.
The skirts will look good, they look naked without any Do you have any plans on what splitters to use with those skirts?
Will be interesting to see how the blue calipers will look You might need a couple of other blue accents on the outside to make it work.
Anyway, good work
P.s. Saw you trying to sell your orange indicators on eBay the other night
Update:
So Yesterday, I went around to my mates house to start prepping and painting my side skirts. I arrived at 10am to find his Corolla pulled apart on the front driveway with the gearbox removed and dismantled...
After a few hours of watching I decided to start painting my Calipers, since I had the paint in the car and my mate had the wax and grease remover.
Took about 40mins to clean the calipers of 18years of crap, and after letting them dry for a further hour we started with the painting... I am the most retarded painter there is, so I left this up to my other mate...
My Mate Cleaning and Masking the Calipers:
After applying a few coats of paint we let them dry for an hour or two and then applied a few more coats. We then applied the 'TRD' decal and clear coated over the top. By the time the clear cot went on, it was starting to go dark... >.<
My Mates Corolla visible in the background
Due to the rapid cooling of the autumn night, the clear coat wouldn't dry... So, After 2 hours we got some heat lamps and set them onto the calipers... At 10pm, almost 5 hours after clear coating, they were still wet... Luckily they were dry enough to put onto the car:
We then put the wheel back on and I drove home The final product:
It's nowhere near as bright during the day, this was taken under the heat lamps and the gloss is still semi-drying...
In-fact, it's now 4:36pm the next day and they are still drying lol...
Tomorrow the rear calipers will be painted and the remaining parts of the caliper that aren't painted will be painted black
Meanwhile as we tackled with the calipers, My mate prepped the side skirts and applied a few coats of primer:
They will be painted tomorrow
Higher Res Photos:
And yesterday I finished off the calipers (sort of) by doing the rears.
And I also used the last of my TRD decals on the mirrors:
Nice car man, good to see some more Australian members!!
Update:
Just a general update on the car...
Well yesterday she was taken into the dealer for repairs to the engine mount and the transmission seal...
She went in, and to my horror... The front engine mount was completely, and I mean completely, ripped in half... and the rear engine mount was cracked too... and the dealer will not cover these under the warranty... $400 out of pocket for that... Going to be pursuing it further with Aussie Department of Fair Trading as this part is pretty integral to the safety of the vehicle...
They also tried to spit some BS at me about the seals 'never being covered under our warranties' and when I said well its been there 5 times, all of the times seals were replaced and I even have some spares that your mechanic gave me.. they replied with 'we will cover the seals'... When the car was NRMA reported last week, the engineer said that the lurch in reverse (which it has had since I got it) was caused by the front engine mount, yet the dealer is saying that they never noticed it and therefore they will not cover it... How could they miss that when they had the engine removed from the car?...
Anyway, in lighter news, I ordered a set of JDM tail lights from a guy in Japan and they should arrive by next week pending installation the following weekend. I also will have my skirts on the car (hopefully this weekend, weather permitting) and Ill have an update when this happens... From there, Ill be saving my $$$ for some 17" Rims and Clear Headlights and High Beams.
She is sitting like this as of now:
Only difference is there are TRD decals on the mirrors
Got the car back today, Oil leak appears to be gone , The reverse no longer clunks, and acceleration and shifting feels a lot smoother (as it should)...
The discs need to be machined and the AC Compressor Bearings are on their way out...
The car now shakes sort of when gears are engaged and stopped at lights I have no clue what could be causing this... when in 'park' it idles fine, but as soon as it is put into reverse or gear the car shakes
there is also no shaking when the car is driving or shifting gear
so we will find out what is causing that...
I have also been in contact with the eBay member that sold me the JDM tails and he has put aside until I get paid a pair of white TRD Reat Splitters; so when I get the cash these will be ordered and put onto the car
Mine also makes a bad noise when I put her in reverse.
And shakes just a tiny bit when I shift and I am almost ready to release the clutch pedal. It's hardly noticeable tho.
Update:
Well After a planned mod-day on Sunday, I unexpectedly ended up in hospital (oh the joy), so Sundway was spent recovering... No Mods were complete
But, Early this morning, my JDM tails arrived, bought them 7days ago and arrived this morning so 6 day turnaround from Japan, and shipping wasn't that dear either
Un-boxing:
Pending Installation:
Wiring Harness was also there with all bulbs (Not sure if they work though):
Ill have them installed when I am free sometime this week, and I will get some high-res photos too....
So the next update will be by next weekend at the latest...
Update:
I didn't have work today so I took the time to install the JDM tails
I ran into a big problem when two of the nuts were 5mm instead of the 10mm that every other was >.< So, I took the rear plastic off, and started searching for a spanner to undo the nut... I found a socket/screwdriver hybrid which fitted perfectly (If Only I had found it before so I didn't have to remove the plastics)...
Installation is straight forward as we all know, so I won't go through all that jazz and instead just show photos:
Before:
The difference is pretty amazing; One JDM, one ADM:
And After:
During the work, my cat decided to pay a visit lol:
And my Fav photo of today :
JDM tails are the simplest yet best mod for any 6GC, good choice!
Nice ride man thing really coming along! I love white hatches man cant wait to see more!
cool cat too man haha
Update:
My LED dash kit started flickering on the way home tonight; so I am going to replace it with a spree kit.
Future/current plans:
- install skirts
- install rear splits
- spree led kit
- front grille meshing
- projectors (if I can ever get the money)
UPDATE:
Today I got up nice and early ready to go round to my mates and paint the skirts... We got four paint coats on; and the clear:
Before the clear:
The the weather went to poop; so the skirts were put into the garage:
(It's much darker in real life)
I also decided to get this photo last night of the JDM tails at night:
And earlier today I got these photos with my dads embarrassment er... car:
Since it's mother's day tomorrow, I doubt I will be able to install the side skirts... So that is going to have to wait... Hopefully, I am free this week sometime, otherwise it will be next week >.<
So you swapped over the wiring harness from the new lights too then? I got them with mine, but just chucked them in the cupboard... I might have to go 4 lights (Then again, I always drive with my lights on, so having them come on separately will make it more obvious to idiots not paying attention behind me... )
Big Update (Sort Of):
So, The skirts are done and on the car !
I'll go through the whole progress here, so there is gonna be LOTS of photos
So basically, it began a month or two ago when I was searching eBay a came across a guy in South Australia selling the Veilside front bar, side-skirts and rear bar. I am not a fan of the Veilside front or rear (It makes the car look bulky and I just don't like it). So I offered the guy $120 for the skirts and he accepted. Now came the fun of getting them shipped from South Australia to New South Wales, I found a low-cost company that would ship them to Villawood Depo for $60 including $300 transit coverage. So $180 delivered to my door (almost):
Now, the manufacturers primer was shotty at best... and I rang around finding out prices to paint the skirts.. I got varying number from $250 - $1000+ (JUST to paint)... After scraping that idea, I approached one of my mates who worked for a smash repairs locally. His work agreed to supply the paint at-cost ($90 for a liter of two-pack) and my mate agreed to spray them for me at his house. Before going over, I decided to install the skirts on the car in a dry run to make sure they fitted:
The fitment was alright, some small minor imperfections were on the skirts (But that was to be expected).
I then took the skirts to my mates place and we got four layers of primer onto them:
http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/u653/Ryan_Hutchings/Car%20for%206GC%20progression/SideSkirts/6Primer_zps5d511818.jpg
Giving a much better finish then the crappy manufacturers stuff...
After a week of crappy weather and me ending up in hospital (long story short I drank to much), We finally got the skirts painted and cleared:
Drying the clear in the sun
The next day, (Mothers day), we went to install the skirts only to find that the door trim was being blocked... So after marking out the area that needed to be cut, I had to leave to go to my girlfriends for lunch and then my grandparents. I got these photos of the installed (But not held on) skirts:
Later that night, using 4 screws, double sided tape and Sikaflex we installed the skirts properly (I don't think they will be moving anytime soon...)
There is some small imperfections in the paint and the skirts themselves, but nothing that detracts from the appearance (Some need to be fixed later on this week when the clear coat is fully cured)
Overall I am very happy with the final product, and a big thanks goes to My mates and girlfriend that helped a lot through the whole process
Once it got dark it was time for a photo-shoot:
And again, my favorite photo of the night:
I will get high-res night and day photos later this week when I get the fitment and everything perfect on the skirts
They look great And seeing them all fitted now, I think they will flow on fantastically with the TRD rear spats... Much better than the OEM skirts
Have you thought about euro / SSIII / TRD front splitters?
Buys colour-matched spats... Paints them anyway
Sounds good though
High Res Day Photos:
And another photo post:
I also finally fixed the door panel trim material on both doors that was hanging off for the past half a year lol Looks a lot better now
And finally got these two 'interestingly' angled shots:
Good to see another Aussie member.
Any plans for the engine and suspension? They're the best mods you'll do.
what does it mean to be a P-plater?
and they check skirt height!! thats absurd!!
That's a bummer. Well if you ever want to sell yours to me. PM me. Lol.
is it an Australia thing? why cant you drive a stick? whay does your dads speedometer have to do with that?
I'll just beat him to it...
Man......and I thought us Cali people had it bad.
Glad I got my licence before all these crazy rules came in. I even had a few glorious years of driving before speed cameras were introduced...
UPDATE:
So yesterday, I got home from Tafe to find a package on my bed:
I promptly opened it up to find:
And as requested by http://www.6gc.net/celicas/my-silver-zr-celica-xd-14229 the photos of what it 'will' look like on the car:
(Sorry about the crappy quality, I did this quickly as I am about to embark on a legal battle with a Telco lol)
Personally I think they flow alright All opinions are welcome, I don't mind if you don't like it but a suggestion would also be appreciated as apposed to a 'I don't like it because I don't' answer lol...
I don't like it because I don't.... like it wonky
Seriously though, that is like a perfect match! Certainly flows much better than my OEM skirts with TRD spats, and I would go almost as far to say that I prefer the flow of that top edge over the TRD skirts themselves!
And after seeing that I'd definately be going euro or SSIII front
Small Update:
Today I did some interior cable management. I routed the power cable for my GPS and CrashCam through the dash, and up the window column. Nothing fancy, just getting cables out of the way. Next job will be getting a double or triple 12V cig lighter to have the power completely behind the dash (and so both can be powered at once).
The CrashCam wire coming through the roof lining:
The GPS wire coming through the Window Column:
I was going to try and install the rear splats properly and get some photos, so I know how it will look after they're re-painted, but then this rolled in again (It is much darker in real life):
Now I am just waiting for this to finish (I am in the Lucas Heights bit ):
I also got this photo this morning at Tafe; the car looks quite different with the skirts on. I really do like it :
UPDATE:
Got my P2 license today Woooh
For those who don't know, the NSW licensing for vehicles goes as follows:
- When you turn 16 you may Attempt a driver knowledge test (DKT) and upon passing:
- 1 Year on 'L' learner plates (Must be accompanied by an adult/instructor) after 120hours logged you may attempt a driving instructor test at the Roads and Maritime Service (RMS) building.
After Passing:
- 1 year on 'P1' Red 'P' Plates. You may then attempt a Hazard Perception Test (HPT). Upon passing this you progress.
- 2 years on 'P2' Green 'P' Plates. You then attempt a Driver Qualification Test (A more advanced HPT with some DKT style questions)
Upon passing you progress to:
- Your full license.
Now, the numbers given can change for instance, if you are caught doing anything Illegal and speed related in the car you are suspended for at least 3 months. If you are caught in any Alcohol/Drug related crime (even if it has nothing to do with a car) you will also be punished by having to wait to progress on your license. Also the speed for learners has recently increased to 90km/h and the hours reduced if the learner attends some course thing... But, I have no idea on the specifics of that
Man that's complicated. How's the car accidents there anyways? Should be less since its more strict.
Interesting system.
But you should probably mention that the limits are in km/h and not mph, probably not everybody here knows that "aussies" use metric units system. And it's a big difference to drive under 100 km/h or 100 mph
Hey guess what, I was fully licensed at 16 without ever taking a driver's test. That and we have no limit on what we drive and what we can do to it. Now that you feel bad, I thought I'd check out your thread since you reply to me in the Today I... thread all the time. My only complaint is why all the TRD badges? It's like those Honda Accord sedans plastered with Type R badges. It'd be one thing if you could back it up, just saying.
They're also on your calipers, and mirrors. I SAW THEM WITH MY OWN EYES!!! Perhaps the Integra needs a clutch something fierce. Anyhow, you're doing a good job. I can't believe how much it cost though, and what has been put into into it by the dealer. Good job on bagging a warranty by the way.
UPDATE:
Well, this week we have got the Rear Splitters primed and ready for painting and I am hoping that we will have them completed and installed for the Toyota Owners Club Australia annual meet next weekend
Other big news, I have bought and paid for a set of Projector headlights today and they are being shipped EMS, so I should have them by Early next week at the latest
Will have pics of everything up as I finish
All joking aside I think the United States needs stricter requirements for a driver's license. The way it is now any bozo can pass it and is fully licensed. So many idiots on the road, it's not even funny... I didn't even have to take an actual test for my license, I just sat in a classroom and went "driving" a few times and wa la I'm legally licensed. Which looking back is just a terrible thing to have, for so many reasons. It turned out ok for me since I actually care about driving, I'm not the Stig but I'm certainly above average. I say we should do something like Finland, by the time you have your license you're practically a rally driver.
All in favour of adopting Finland's rally school as a driver's licence test say "I".
Got these photos today:
Drive north, get Joshua to drive south. Meet me in the middle for an awesome photo shoot.
But seriously. Haha
I've considered getting a dash can too. To record these idiot drivers. But pretty much any accident involving a rear end, the driver that hits the back of the other will 99% be at fault regardless of brake lights etc
^ that's the type I was looking at.
And still, mods or not, photos would be sweet!
Keep us posted about that cruise/I might join that forum.
And yep, I hate 4wd and busses. Busses just merge out when they want and you have to go around.
But I have the type of smart-arse attitude where I give them a chance to get over, if they miss that window I tail the person in front so they can't get in. Having a somewhat loud exhaust and manual is good to rev it past them
All of a sudden I'm somewhat more thankful for the United State's complete lack of public transit.
Nice clean car man! I miss my celica...I don't miss the problems though lol.
UPDATE:
So I have now got the splitters painted and installed:
Before:
After:
Really nice! Looks good! I was thinking about TRD rear splitters too, but ended up on SS-III but I should think about it once again....
looks good lose the ford plate surround though..
Have both and swap rotate them monthly.
Found this photo from the TOC annual meet early this month:
Just some photos as I was driving home tonight:
And At home:
*removes all the TRD badges* See, much better.
So, The big update is finally here
A few week ago I found a set of Projector Headlights on eBay and promptly purchased them. After a week, they were at my door...
I opened the box, and as usual, one tab was broken and another was split
So I got a bottle of Loctite 406 from my Girlfriends father and repaired those tabs. I also added a washer behind the completely cracked tab for extra strength =]
Now came the adapter problem... The stock wiring in the car doesn't fit the H1 socket on the projectors, and the ADM park lights don't fit in the accent lights either... So an adapter was needed to be made... I got onto eBay and found some extension cables for the stock ADM wiring, and luckily the eBayer gave me the H1 side and the Accent adapters, so all I needed was the Male side for the low beams
And so, this morning I headed over to my Mates house where most of the Car work is done. Here is the 'Before' shot:
Following the 6GC bumper removal guide, hte bumper was off in less than 40mins
After some further troubles of trying to get a 10mm spanner that would fit inbetween the bar and the light, we finally got the High Beams replaced. They are a direct replacement and so no wiring mod was required
Once the low beams were out of the car, it was time for the wiring harness to be made. The eBay extension cable was cut, and the male half was soldered and headshrinked onto the H1 adapter. In 10mins, both sides were made and the adapters were installed and 10mins later, the Low beams were in place. The Accent lights were just soldered directly onto the ADM park light harness:
Testing followed:
After the test was successful, the car was rebuilt and photos were taken. These will be in a second post below
And the photo update, I DID wash the car (finally):
Will be getting some high-res photos soon
Yay, yay, yay..... Wait..... You mixed blue and yellow lights -.- Are you planning to change you low beams to the same colour temp you had on there before?
Starting to look pretty schmick here man. I say just bite it and buy yourself some HID's now you have the appropriate headlights!
I am buying a 6k HID set tomorrow
Some more phone pics:
It's looking good in here!
^Nice Range Rover Sport over there
Looks great with those projectors! I think i should find a proper set for mine! Keep up the good work!
*Cerato Hatch
But that is certainly an interesting combination
Projectors look so much better.
Then I'll need to mod them. Have other things to do first anyhow.
Especially the assholes in trucks with cheap HID's in their reflector housings...
I was just reading the Before and After thread and found that you are not the first!!!
That was ImportChick95 back in 2007! (obviously ) Looks like she moulded hers on though.
the color chooses you. you cant choose the color.
wooh another $800 greenslip bill today ... gonna have to stop modding until it's paid
A what bill?
Our 12 months registration in QLD including CTP is like $650!
Ah ok, over here we just call it basic coverage. For me it's $360 a year.
Got Bored after I cleaned the interior and fixed my HIDs this arvo and got a video of my exhaust note when idle/low power/reverse
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0BI8dv2UU0&feature=youtu.be
May just have to wire in an actual filter to get rid of it completely. Try wrapping the ballasts in the tape.
Okay, so yesterday I went on a 600km Cruise
So far I have not been able to get my pics on the PC, so here are some from other members of the cruise:
First Rest Stop, Wollombi:
Second Stop, Hunter Valley Gardens:
So now my own photos:
I am also checking out some 17" wheels tonight. Well, actually checking out a complete 5th gen Celica that a mate and I may be purchasing [
Hmmm.... Suppose they can pass, THIS TIME!!!
Mayaswell post some photos of the car I jointly own, bought and picked up today:
And the main reason I went into the buy, to get and repair these for my car. They have brand new tread too:
Mayaswell post some photos of the car I jointly own, bought and picked up today:
And the main reason I went into the buy, to get and repair these for my car. They have brand new tread too:
Double post
And I like a lot of your shots... but you need to tell your mate in the corolla to nick off when you are trying to take pics
P.S.... Those wheels would look great silver
You have the 5th gen now anyway.... stick it on blocks and try out the rims as they are to see what you think
Is that black leather I see? I say anthracite or gun metal would look good. I like black, but from a distance they look like steels. Doesn't matter what style and size it is, when I see black I instantly think steels. It just happens.
I am 99% sure that they are plastidipped ATM defiantly needs fixing and proper paint haha
They are actually painted, extremely thin crappy layer of matte..
Well the past few days I have gottan a few small things done:
- Started Stripping back one of the 17" wheels by hand and after 4 hours though f**k this, and ragequit.
- Then went up to the tyre shop and removed the tread from the wheel. New approach to removing the old paint; paint stripper.
- Also decided to install my front grille meshing that has been sitting in my rear seats for 3 weeks
Looked in the 5th Gen celica, and I think it has some lowering springs in it, going to remove one and compare it to my cars spring...
Anybody know, will the 5th gen springs fit onto the 6th gen? Also, do they share the same alternator and AC compressor?
Thanks
I know somebody in Brisbane who bought a 5th Gen gt4 which had stock 6th Gen springs in it which gave it a mega-drop.... So I wouldn't be trying it the other way around
Do you have spring compressors?
See, it all works out.
I am also pretty sure that i am going to return that eBay HID kit and go back to incandescents until I can get an actual decent brand.
If it wasn't for the projectors you could've used HIR's. Technically you still could for the high beam, but not the low.
What some people do is take the OEM HID set up from a junked car and retrofit it to theirs.
Philips and Osram Sylvania are the two premier HID brands, but both = $$$$$$. A lot of people here in the States go with DDM Tuning HID's since they are relatively cheap and have a lifetime warranty. Most eBay HID's are cheaply made, a few brands are hit and miss so you may get a good set or you may not, and others are actually pretty good. It's been too long since I was searching for HID's so I don't remember which brand is which. I'm using DDM HID's now. They're decent, but not great. They are reliable though, no flickering issues or radio interference. I have 4,500K bulbs which are too blue but otherwise no real complaints.
Just bit the bullet and got an amp and sub.
12" soundstream arachnid 250watt rms sub and a kenwood 300watt rms amp. Was a toss up between the kenwood or a Fusion.... The kenwood was slightly better specced and $30 cheaper... Will post photos and such once installed
Did someone say, custom Box?
Arrived today:
This afternoons progress:
We also tested it on my mates car and I really like the sound so far
Sub Wired and Installed
Sub and box in the boot:
With some nice US food there
And my stealthy amp and wiring:
Ned HID kit has arrived, This one already 'looks' to be sturdier and better built compared with the last. Although, the shop said they used Phillips bulbs and these clearly aren't Phillips... So, we shall see how this goes once installed...
http://s1326.photobucket.com/user/Ryan_Hutchings/media/null_zpse289618e.jpg.html
I remember the last time I was in a boot, can't say it was that much fun.
We have the temporary spare.
I say just replace spares with Fix-A-Flat. If Fix-A-Flat can't fix it, then you have more serious issues at hand anyway.
First real photo since changing my license plates
Lookin' very swell, Rentaspace.
The white really makes the projectors "pop" in photography.
I love projectors too, I just love money more.
Which is why I'm buying a car I'll feel the need to spend money on.
........
fair enough
It's Toyota's fault for not bringing over the ST202 and ST205, true story. That's ok, even with a car that I like I probably won't really spend money on it. I'm a Jew and like to hoard money.
While I'm thinking about it, what HID kit did you end up going with? My brother just finished retrofitting his car with projectors, and wants HIDs now.
9006. Thanks, will have to check them out.
"Philips Patent Licensed" is just a nice way of saying, "We ripped off the patent held by Philips." If that's how much it costs for a decent kit I suppose he'll have to wait. Still trying to figure out a solution for his high beams, and that's a little more important at the moment. Went from a 9004 in a crappy reflector housing to a 9006 projector, and yet to figure out what to use for high beams. I said he should just get some giant rally lights to use a high beams, but he said no.
hmmm..... well, for a decent kit that is generally around the mark... they go for $50 on ebay but are very hit and miss... (I was lucky and got a full refund for my defective Asian branded one)...
9006 is also HB4 in Australia
Yeah, was kind of leery of the eBay stuff. I still say you should post pictures, throw in some disclaimers or what have you and be done with it.
Good.
Well, the past week I have done a little bit, I will start with the New Tool Box:
Making my life at home a lot easier when I need to work on my car
Already used them to reconnect my front driving lights that disconnected when the last battery got removed...
I then did this:
To install my USB charger, which is now working fine and located in the center console.
Went around to my mates to find his KE70's wheels had been repainted (By Him) in Candy Red (He painted my rear spats and side skirts)
And then we got around to painting His Girlfriend's Astra wheels Metallic Purple:
Thinking of repainting my stockies this colour....
Don't let your friend roll your fenders
Y they no smooth out curb rash!?
I don't particularly care about my current car and I don't half ass things.
Michael's 4A-GE powered KE70 launching with no sensors what so ever... chewing through so much petrol haha...
This is the car from before with the candy red wheels:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWEtF_6Ylao
One of those would be spiffy. Shame they don't sell it over here, take away some Golf sales.
lololololololololol
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnxdWcLlxqA
Package arrived at the door:
SSIII Front Splitters from Josh
And the Illuminated Keyring that I have been needing:
LED installed:
Ooo nice stuffs there! Fit them ASAP! I want pictures with those ssIII!
Be sure to post a picture where that keyring light plugs into.
Installed Front Splitter Photos:
Pics because bored:
You don't deserve that MCM decal, you've yet to fulfill your promise of making into one of their videos.
^YEAH!!!
NOW THAT'S BETTER!!!
Getting some Tyre quotes, with my mate Josh :
And the fires spoke of earlier:
That's a fire truck.
You should move, there's nothing good there. Uncontrollable fires, BAD. Ginormous spiders from Hell, BAD. Cute cuddly koalas that aren't really so cuddly, BAD.
Should move to Canada. Mmmm, maple syrup.
Got a problem with Bullwinkle?
^Somebody convince this guy to buy some proper tyres for his new wheels!!!
Psssh, tyres are only some $50-60 each.
More reasons to move!!!
I need more people that understand me.
I'm not seeing the use of the air mail. You have parts that are not mounted!
'Nother Photo Update:
None of these photo's are full size. Trying to obtain full size original photos.
Well recently my car rolled back on a friends driveway and the rear splitter touched an unseen rock:
And just a shot in the car park:
Nothing super glue and some duct tape can't fix.
lol G6 parking...
lucky that rear splitter crack isn't too big
Unfortunately, it is cracked in a few places and deeply scratched
I probably won't do anything about it unless it gets worse >.<
looks like it's mostly just underneath so it won't be seen anyways.
Well as most know, when Josh was down at my house for a few days, we went on a photo-shoot to a local boat ramp. Anyway, the other day I went back there for lucnh with my girlfriend and we decided to walk the bridge in the background of those photos...
Here is a photo josh took, showing the bridge we were on:
Here is a photo looking down towards the boat ramp, I circled my car for reference:
So this week my Vincent_Doggy leather interior pieces. Only got the arm rest cover on as I didn't have time for the door inserts and the hand brake boot does not fit
Before:
After:
Looks a lot better than before, and was fairly straight forward to install!
Hoping to get some more interior work done tomorrow...
Had a few family issues the past few weeks
Should get your boots from Kurt and bluecelicawife. *COUGH*
Sorry to hear that.
You're talking to Mr. OCD, so I get you in that regard.
Was gonna work on the car today; couldn't be bothered..... Story of my life...
Nice arm rest cover, can't wait till mine arrives
Hahah, I think I might do the same..
If shipping hurries up.. waiting sucks
Well, this is a BIG update.
I will start with the small news, which is that the old door strikers are gone (Special thanks to Richie for getting them for me):
And the new strikers are on:
(Photo-bombed by the GF)
And, the big news. With a GIANT thank you to Josh, I now have a set of Half Riser blocks on their way from Japan!
Have fun seeing out from the rear view mirror
Awesome that Josh was able to find those risers for you. I have been tossing up as to get the GT-4 / SSIII spoiler or not but just the vast size of it put me off it. Now with these half blocks I think it would look fantastic! so jealous. My Celica is at the garage at the moment getting a major service done to her so the funds will be down a little bit again so no major modding going on for me.
Well, got some stuff done:
Started with a mad scramble of changing to my Caldina Alloys
Drove to the Tyre Shop and half an hour later:
And then another half hour after that, Alignment was complete and the new tyres were installed. $560 total, and I chose Toyo Proxes CF1 over the Kumho KU31 since the KU31 are directional and I am sick of that haha
Got back home and had a faceoff (the new tyres are great):
And, now that its done I have gone through the National Park pretty hard, and woooow the difference is amazing... These tyres are 100x better than the Roadstone crap that were on my 15" wheels...
Next paycheck comes in on the 28th and Spacers will be on the top of the list to get (y)
Good choice with the Toyos over the Kumhos. Kumhos are garbage. Cheap, yes, but you get what you pay for.
Now give me your rims as spares.
Woke up this morning to find:
Unwrapped them and:
After procrastinating for a while, my girlfriend wanted the splash guards installed so I got to work deciphering the Japanese instructions (Just in case installation wasn't as straight forward as it looked). My girlfriend decided to wash my windows while I worked and around 5 minutes later:
They look really nice on a white car! Big thanks to Rusty for these!
And Big Thanks to Josh for arranging the Half-Riser Blocks!
no problem glad you like them
Extra Photos with the SLR:
Those window deflectors really suit the white Celica.
I know its only a small mod, but I like the subtle little TRD stockers on the wing mirrors too.
I have white Celi/black mirrors, it suits it very nicely.
But a black roof to match it
I like how it doesn't distract the eye on white Celicas and keeps it on the body lines. The roof is not that crucial.
Stock matte black mirrors, no black roof yet
Looks nice, I might be doing the same (y)
Before:
Working:
20 years of dirt:
After:
In case you are wondering, the spoiler is off to put the half risers on.
Thought I'd rock the spoiler less look for a little bit...
Not sure if I will get the spoiler on this weekend though...
MCM for the win!
Excited to see the risers on, should be maaaad
Eh can't get the riser block on
The clips are all rusted and local toyota dealer is a dick.
And I don't want to connect them with metal to paint anyway
ah, love those half risers.
they really suit your car.
I wish mine were black too, but they're silver.
gotta repaint it soon, i'm rocking spoilerless for now.
Where the **** did you find half risers?! I've been looking for them forever! Fawk.
Aren't they also called Euro risers? Or have I been calling them the wrong thing? Lol
That's what I call them. If you have a two-post spoiler, then euro risers are the way to go!
Thanks everyone, they are 'Euro Half Riser Blocks', so both variations are correct.
And, Josh found these in Japan being sold as scrap (since they were not full size ST205), the seller obviously did not realize what they were.
This is the second set I have seen for sale in two years, and the first was sold for x3 more than what I paid for em.
Fawk. I want them so bad haha
Keep your eye on Yahoo Japan, and eBay... One set has to eventually show up...
Dad's new car (left), My car, My ST184 and Mums car (Garage):
KIA=Killed In Action.
It's a weird feeling driving it, with all the stability, traction and braking control >.<
Probably has electric steering too. That and drive by wire. By far the two worst things to happen to cars in recent years.
Well, he only drives 100km or so a week... I do more than he does in a week, in a day...
Then he should have a fun car.
It would help if he cared about cars or had the garage space for a nice one... But his garage is full of crap hahahaha
Start running things then, sometimes that's just how it has to be done.
Them euro blocks looks nice. Too bad they're too costly for me to buy. If I find one for cheap ima need to get it. Not a necessity on my to do list atm. Lol.
Just read your thread and congratulations on such a clean celi, its great seeing people actually taking the time and effort on these cars, you can tell the hard work has paid off, keep it up
Thanks
may I ask, how is the visibility with these euro risers ?
Suspension Saturday Go!
Got these for $100; Tein Lowering Springs on Stock Shocks; Located ten minutes from my work:
(The shocks were busted though)
Started work this arvo:
Removed the stock suspension;
Finished:
In case anyone is wondering, the Shocks on the set with the lowering springs were completely gone. I have never seen suspension that was as terrible as that...
So the lowering springs were put onto my shocks!
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