6G Celicas Forums

Car has 146K miles on it. We've put way above and beyond market value (can verify with reciepts/tracking sheet if wanted) into the car. Well over $17K into the car since purchase at this point. The motor swap by Dr. Tweak + custom Exhaust + peripherals was over $8K alone. The body work/paint this time around was just over $5K. It's not about the money though (I just like keeping very meticulous records), it's more about I hate to even think about it getting messed up like it already has. Sadly though, this is the most efficient and ONLY other car we have that's got year round driveability. The Trans Am will be too god awful loud to run the baby around in, the Corvette is in the air with nothing but an engine in the bay right now (chasing a vibration on new motor setup), so right now we only have the Pacifica and Celica. I would be absolutely content to drive the Corvette full time right now if it was running, no questions asked. But it's not really a rain car (semi-exposed filters and WIDE drag radials on the back) and is definitely not a snow car. I'd LOVE to pick up another car as a driver (Celi ST for cheap anyone????) but four cars for my wife and I is enough. It's going to be HELL when we move in a couple of years.

Sadly I don't think it's ever going to be the perceived mag quality, but I've seen featured cars in person and you look at them and go "HOW" or "WHY" because they don't look to be mag quality either. Same thing with the show circuit. It's not all about having a flawless car, it's about making the most of what you've got. As long as it comes across as a well put together clean properly done ride, it should be ok. (I've got some insiders I have spoken with several times at GM High Tech Performance) I almost registered the car for HIN at Chicago on July 11th, but don't think it'll be THAT ready by then. I want to at least get the brakes done, the shocks replace, and the engine bay really cleaned up prior to hitting a show. Can't roll up with a clunking shock or ugly stock looking calipers right?

Next little piece came in today: My matrix LED's for the dash. Pulled the cluster, and as I though, no room for a strip light around the inside perimeter on the back side for daytime lighting. So it's dash lighting only.

Man, these LED's are BRIGHT. They don't give off a uniform light pattern unfortunately, so I've got a couple of "darker" spots but not horrible. I did do one other little thing though, used a red marker and put a light red coating on the top of the needles. They're a bit dark during the day, but later tonight we'll see about night lighting.

All I have to do now is pull the car out of the garage and see if these LED's are enough for daytime lighting or if I have to figure out something more.

Oh, and some parking garage pics to come later tonight. We've got our last "prepared childbirth" class tonight, there's no rain forecasted, and we park in a garage there. What more can you ask for!

Matrix LED's = fail. HUGE hotspot at the 40 MPH section of the speedo. Goign to have to do a supplemental LED lighting behind the gauges, and I'm going to try the Polarg bulbs for a more consistent light spread.

However, I got some KILLER shots tonight. These are all 100% untouched as they came off the camera, and I'm pretty pleased. Only got these 10 really good ones and the garage lighting was the suck (all yellowed) but the other lighting......... May have a calendar submission pic in this shoot. MANY thanks to my 8 months pregnant wife who was a trooper and put up with the 10 PM shoot in the muggy weather.

Hot damn! Never knew the celi would look that good in red

Freaking Gorgeous man

Thanks guys.

My favorite is the second Bank of America one. Lovin it.

Awesome color!

Just ordered some Polarg bulbs for the cluster. Going to give those a shot. Was completely unhappy with the hot spots from the 5led Matrix bulbs. Half tempted to go to an aftermarket gauge face just to get some reasonable lighting for daytime driving with the smoked cluster cover that's on there.

wow your celi just INCREDIBLE!!!

btw, how much did they charge you to do that duck bill spoiler...

Well, the spoiler was a DCW ducktail spoiler originally. I can't give an exact cost on the molding in of it because it was part of the entire job. If I had to guess, with the molding and repainting of just the hatch, probably in the $600 range. Add to that the $200 price tag of the spoiler too.

If you're careful, you can gently lift the stock gauge faces up and sand the back side of them with 3M scotchbrite material, behind the numbers. This will help SIGNIFICANTLY with the hot spots. It will still be a little brighter behind the 40mph point, but the difference from before to after is worth it.

For your needles: you can find "glass" paint at any crafts store (Michael's, etc). If you get the red glass paint, it's translucent enough and works GREAT on the needles. Use a cotton swap and some nail polish remover to get the white paint off the tops of the needles. If you use nail polish remover with acetone, it will also dull the finish of the plastic - this is a good thing, as it will help the glass paint adhere better to them. I used a cotton swab to apply the paint, too, so I wouldn't get brush strokes or accidentally paint any part other than just the top of the needle (for maximum light output). It's better if you use super cheap-ass swabs that hurt you if you actually used them for your ears. They have way less cotton on them than the actual Q-tip brand ones do, and as such don't separate as easily. Apply several thin layers of the paint, allowing it to dry between layers (or it'll be tacky and you might get cotton stuck to them). Several layers of paint will ensure that your needles don't light up pink.

Here's a pic of mine: as you can see I wound up going w/aftermarket overlays, but actually it was because I have some inconsistencies in the wiring which kept causing one of my LEDs to burn out very frequently. If I could, I'd have kept them, because I like the more stock look.



This post has been edited by GriffGirl: Jun 29, 2009 - 2:52 PM

I've already done the sanding actually. Your posts led me to do that first thing. I've probably got to do a little more evening out but I think one of the issues is that the bulbs I got seemed really cheap and I'm very hesitant about them having a fairly equal light distribution. THe needles I simply used a red sharpie on and it worked fantastic.

STILL SPEACHLESS!!

STILL SPEACHLESS!!

I really like the car. Not that much in love with the last few shots, the light seems to be the main focus of the picture, kind of an overbearing spot, rather than a streak of light which is what you might have been going for?

beautiful

you should sell those to Bank of America, beautiful car.

Wow, simply amazing.

10/10 well done.

You did a really great job. I don't know what kind of red that is, but it gives your Celica a lot more depth than the original red. I'm not really a fan of spoilerless Celicas, but I think I have to make an exception here. Bravo and well done.

Sean all i have to say is

that care is pure sex on wheels... really impressed man.

Hope i run into you sometime soon to see it in person again.