HectortheRican's progress thread Options

[HectortheRican]

I've been lagging on one of these, but I finally have the time to start one up. My mods will come slowly but surely due to minimum wage But I'll keep truckin'!

I was actually trying and trying so hard to buy a 240, I love the things, but every single one I'd find was either too expensive because they were all SR20'd and S15'd out, or too beat down and crappy. But then one day I came across this Celica because the poster had put '240sx' as a tag. I had honestly never even considered a Celica for a second, when I thought Celica, I thought 7gc, and I never liked those. But once I saw this Celica, I fell in love. And thanks to Spider77, I found this site and it's helped me since day 1. Now that I've got a progress thread, I'll start updating it often. Thanks for looking!

The first day I got her. I actually bought her from a member, vi-tuyen.


Then the very first mod when I started working... early June. Injen SRI w/ Fujita filter. Bought from trdproven.

Out


In


Then I picked up an OEM strut bar from a local part out in late June


Three days after the strut bar, I got into a fender bender with an 18 wheeler. I swiped his tire. Luckily, I was fine, and no damage to the truck, and little damage to my car.

Damage assessment: Cracked bumper, totaled RH fender, smashed sidemarker, bent strut, bent wheel.

Literally 20 minutes before the wreck

sexy angle

Then when I got home afterwards

Side


Front (see the obvious neg camber? lolol)


This post has been edited by HectortheRican: Apr 10, 2016 - 2:01 AM

[whatthe]

At least now you have good offset... Your tyres are sticking past the fenders right?

[HectortheRican]

At least now you have good offset... Your tyres are sticking past the fenders right?

Haha, funny guy I finally picked up the new fender today, now I've got everything I need to make her sexy again. It gets fixed on Saturday!

[cheela]

nice! keep us updated. and go at it with the modding, once you start,.... you'll NEVER stop! hahhahaah

[HectortheRican]

I didn't take a whole lot of pics of the repair process, as it's kind of hard for only two people to work and one to take pictures. Next time, I'll have a designated picture-taker. But until I get the rest uploaded, here's the final product of my little weekend project

[Success21]

I didn't take a whole lot of pics of the repair process, as it's kind of hard for only two people to work and one to take pictures. Next time, I'll have a designated picture-taker. But until I get the rest uploaded, here's the final product of my little weekend project

I'm not going lie your car looks good its really clean. I like the stock look with subtle rims maybe just a little lower. but that camaro behind you looks sweet love the color

[HectortheRican]

I'm not going lie your car looks good its really clean. I like the stock look with subtle rims maybe just a little lower. but that camaro behind you looks sweet love the color

Thanks! It'll be lowered about 1.5-2 inches in about 2 weeks and I'm getting the Euro-spec splitters soon. I'm keeping her nice and OEM

[HectortheRican]

On 7/24, exactly a month after the wreck, I finally collected all the parts I needed to complete the repair. My buddy Taylor came over at 11:00am and we started work.

Facelifted bumper I pulled off a local '98 GT. Originally white, had it painted 202


Fender from Taiwan (Had slight trouble with fitment.) Also painted 202


We got the crushed fender and headlight out and Taylor was working on the LH liner



Forgot to take out the stock intake resonator when I installed the Injen back in June.. woops!


We were wondering what to do with the bent bracket, then the mailman pulled up and low and behold, the bracket I ordered from novak17 came right on time!


Little close up of the bumper


Taylor's got a new drift charm! lolol

(we bent up the damaged fender)

I gave the old bumper to my uncle, he wants to make some sort of light for the garage out of it...


Teaser pic that I had put up earlier


I didn't do too good of a job with the pictures, but I remembered every now and then. We worked straight from 11;00am to 5:00pm with no breaks. Fun little weekend project!

This post has been edited by HectortheRican: Jul 26, 2010 - 5:10 PM

[NOVAKx17]

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT!! haha

nice job man! lovin the work. Can't wait to see it once you get some more of your new parts in and then put on!

way to go

[Spider77]

Looking pretty good, maybe I'll have a chance to meet up with you this sunday?

[HectortheRican]

Looking pretty good, maybe I'll have a chance to meet up with you this sunday?

I was sure hoping so, but that truck is still coming in, I gotta stay and unload it. It's big things too.. tractors, fridges, ovens.. Sorry bro

[whatthe]

Its nice to see the celica back up and looking better than ever.

[HectortheRican]

Just ordered the crystal clear Depo turn signals from eBay

[cheela]

Did you get the full set or just the signals?

[HectortheRican]

Did you get the full set or just the signals?

I'm assuming that the guy I bought the side markers from (97celiman) had the Depo ones because the side markers are crystal clear like the Depo's will be, but my stock clear turns aren't as crystal-clear.

[HectortheRican]

Welp, found out I have a flat today. It'll be repaired tomorrow afternoon. I'm rolling on the spare right now. But on the bright side, I installed the diamond clear Depo turn signals yesterday and I received the SSIII grille and fog covers I ordered from vincent_doggy today. Pictures up later.

[Bigblock]

WOW you did great work!!

Here's hoping the gremlins leave the Celica community!!

[HectortheRican]

Finally got around to making my SSIII grille fit. I put in the pins, but they would hold to the crash bar, so I could only think of one thing... my trusty roll of black duct tape worked perfectly! And I used 3 thin zip ties to secure the grille to the 3 posts in the middle.

Crappy cell phone picture, but you guys get the gist Notice Piccolo on the rearview? SPECIAL BEAM CANNON!

On a simpler note, I went to Home Depot and replaced the rear license plate bolts (Used to be RUSTY) Now they're nice and shiny And I ordered a set of Falken 512's!

This post has been edited by HectortheRican: Aug 4, 2010 - 1:18 AM

[Spider77]

I like the progress youve made with this so far. Its a shame that the seller didnt include all the other stuff with it...But it is looking nice.

[HectortheRican]

I like the progress youve made with this so far. Its a shame that the seller didnt include all the other stuff with it...But it is looking nice.

That's EXACTLY what I thought when I found his old FS post! All I could say was a big WTF. But thanks a lot!

[block]

looks great. keep up the good work. you need those coilovers you ordered! haha.

[HectortheRican]

Welp, Megan Racing pissed me off. After I ordered the coilovers on May 18th, the initial backorder was 3 weeks, so I expected maybe 5 weeks tops. It quickly turned into 11 weeks. And on Thursday, when the truck that the coilovers were supposed to be on finally came in... FINALLY... they unloaded it and coilovers were nowhere to be found. They made a few calls and the workers at the factory forgot to load them. The factory in TAIWAN! Now they said it'll be another 3-4 weeks and I said no. I withdrew my order. Now I'm looking to buy the BC coilovers, but I'll have to wait a little longer until I make the extra money..

On another note, I put a decal on my car today


I know it's gay, but it's just the right amount of rice and I love it! But that's it for decals... I don't wanna look like NASCAR. lol

[Spider77]

Wow, sucks about your coilovers...they should of offered you some sort of discount or something to try and compensate.

[HectortheRican]

Wow, sucks about your coilovers...they should of offered you some sort of discount or something to try and compensate.

Yeah you'd really think so. Over the whole course of those 11 weeks, Megan didn't offer me anything whatsoever. Not even a free coffee mug or something lol.

[Spider77]

In all honesty then, if they did nothing to keep you as a customer, then it's probably not worth all that hassle.

[HectortheRican]

In all honesty then, if they did nothing to keep you as a customer, then it's probably not worth all that hassle.

I just was in it for the coils and how good of a price they were at. But there's just a point that something reaches that you don't care anymore, you're just pissed aha

[Spider77]

Roger that!

[cheela]

11 weeks just sucks. forget them.

[HectortheRican]

11 weeks just sucks. forget them.

I did. Got a full refund! They should've at least given me a free shift knob.. ha

[whatthe]

Go BC and never look back!

[HectortheRican]

Go BC and never look back!

That's what I plan on!

[HectortheRican]

I got my Falken 512's installed and got an alignment done today. Hooray for new shoes!

[97celiman]

I never had the clear turns, I bought the sidemarkers from a member on here awhile back...

Hope you find my car though, good stuff on it.

[HectortheRican]

Just painted my OEM strut bar SSIII red. Kind of a useless mod, I know, but it looks better than the stock black. Plus it's a Thursday afternoon and I had nothing to do, so why not? I'll put up a picture later when it cures enough to install.

This post has been edited by HectortheRican: Aug 12, 2010 - 3:48 PM

[HectortheRican]

Here's the painted strut bar

I gotta clean up in there...

This post has been edited by HectortheRican: Aug 13, 2010 - 12:18 PM

[rave2n]

looking good!

[Spider77]

Jeez...wish my Injen was black. Looks nice though, hopefully I can see it in person this sunday!

[HectortheRican]

Thanks guys! And yeah, hopefully!

[Hazmat]

Oh damn, I didn't know you had a progress thread. I feel like a jackass now. I have to say man, you are coming along really nicely with it all and I'm loving every step you are taking! Keep up the great work and hopefully I can meet up with you one of these days

[HectortheRican]

Thanks man! I sure hope so! Will you be able to cruise with us on Sunday?

[Hazmat]

I'm hoping so. I find out tomorrow but I don't get my hopes up anymore sadly. Gotta love work

Edit: Woot! Page 3!

This post has been edited by Hazmat: Aug 13, 2010 - 8:20 PM

[HectortheRican]

Well let's keep our fingers crossed!

[Hazmat]

Well I was right again. No dice. Stuck working all day again. Enjoy the cruise though and hopefully I'll have another oppurtunity

[HectortheRican]

That sucks man But definitely!

[Hazmat]

Maaan you had to move already?! I really wanted to meet up with you before you moved

I can still admire your progress on here though Hope you enjoy it down there man! Maybe one of these days I'll run into you

[HectortheRican]

I'll be coming back regularly, so definitely!

Since I had to move to Albuquerque for college, I'm now out of a job. So until I find a job over here, no more significant progress

But I did finally take out the disgusting sticker that went over the top of my rear window! 2 razor blades and a damp paper towel took care of it. For some reason, it smelled like complete crap..

This post has been edited by HectortheRican: Aug 19, 2010 - 10:58 AM

[4-eyed-freek]

i know this is a stupid question but what is that this right behind the right( when you looking from the front) strut. it looks like a megaphone or something.

[HectortheRican]

i know this is a stupid question but what is that this right behind the right( when you looking from the front) strut. it looks like a megaphone or something.

It's actually for the alarm. It's the horn for it lol. No question is ever a stupid question!

In other news, I found out that it's legal to not have a front plate in New Mexico. Bye bye, front plate!

[Spider77]

I got that with my new Tennessee plates, just have to install them. Goodbye texas plates and stupid smog checks!

[4-eyed-freek]

have to love michigan for only making u have one plate on your car

[HectortheRican]

I got that with my new Tennessee plates, just have to install them. Goodbye texas plates and stupid smog checks!

Wait, what? Haha

[Spider77]

Hells yeah, both cars have been registered in the great state on Tennessee! And where my HOR is, they have no requirement for smog/saftey check. WOOOOOOOOOOOT!

[HectortheRican]

Hells yeah, both cars have been registered in the great state on Tennessee! And where my HOR is, they have no requirement for smog/saftey check. WOOOOOOOOOOOT!

LUCKY!

[Spider77]

Yeah, the navy throws me a few bones here and there.

[HectortheRican]

Finally some progress! I bought a spare ash tray from mkernz22 (I didn't wanna mess my original one up if my little project didn't work out). So I got it today, and I had some CF sticker that I wasn't too sure about, so I started wrapping the spare with it. To my surprise, the adhesive was GREAT! It stuck really nicely and I was able to wrap the ash tray lid pretty well. Job well done, I'd say!

In my dorm, just finished it. My roommate was eying me weird the whole time. Like "Wtf is he doing?"


Installed


Close up of the CF sticker


This post has been edited by HectortheRican: Aug 30, 2010 - 5:18 PM

[SwissFerdi]

I'm a pretty big fan of that sticker stuff. I've always had it planned in my head to throw it onto assorted pieces in the interior.

[Spider77]

Gotta say that looks real real nice!

[HectortheRican]

Thanks guys! That was my very first shot at wrapping anything!

[Hazmat]

Gotta say that looks real real nice!

I second that. Nice job man!

[HectortheRican]

Thanks bro!

This post has been edited by HectortheRican: Aug 30, 2010 - 11:32 PM

[SwissFerdi]

I second that. Nice job man!

Bro, I third that. BRO-FIVE!

[mkernz22]

That looks pretty sweet with the CF sticker/ wrapping! I thought you were just going to put it in your car with the white showing and i was like wtf? ok lol, what ever he wants, but now I see why you got it! Looks great! I might have to do that with mine!

[HectortheRican]

Lol glad I could inspire people

[4-eyed-freek]

when i go off to school i might try to wrap some parts in cf.. i love what you did, that looks sharp.

[HectortheRican]

Thanks man. I think that's it though. I don't wanna go over load on CF lol

And today, I took her to Just Brakes and got the front rotors/pads and rear drums/shoes replaced. I got ceramic pads up front

This post has been edited by HectortheRican: Aug 31, 2010 - 5:25 PM

[HectortheRican]

Just bought about $260 worth of Celica goodies.

[4-eyed-freek]

pics?

[HectortheRican]

When I get them! Patience! Haha

[4-eyed-freek]

ok ok ..i just moved into my aprt. for school so im always on here watchin like a hawk for good things to read or see in this case.

[HectortheRican]

Same here. I used to be in Fort Worth, TX but now I'm in Albuqeurque for school. I'm so bored up here. But I'll have pics up as soon as I get the stuff. I'll keep it shrouded in mystery till then. Haha

[HectortheRican]

I got the 3 white LEDs that I ordered for my guages from superbrightleds.com, I just haven't taken a picture 'cause every time it's dark enough, I'm in my room studying and I forget. I think the one that lights up the tach isn't working 100% because it's not lighting up as much as the speedo

Hopefully the other 2 things I got will be here soon

[HectortheRican]

I got part #2 of my Celica bundle! Euro option splitters thanks to smirnoff! Took me a little while to get them installed because I had to frantically find clips for the bolts, but they're on there now!

I unwrapped them like a 4 year old on Christmas morning


Front view


Nice side view


She's REALLY dirty but I've just been so preoccupied with school and what not. She'll get clean soon!

[4-eyed-freek]

nice man lookin sexy.. if i still had my original front bumper it would have definatly done something like that.

[smirnoff]

Looking good Hector, I'm getting a kick knowing that some parts from my car are enjoying there new home in New Mexico

[HectortheRican]

Looking good Hector, I'm getting a kick knowing that some parts from my car are enjoying there new home in New Mexico

Lol right? It's a cool feeling. My old license plate bracket is somewhere in Canada lol

[96stgreendemon]

looking good with the euro splitters, how you doing that in a school parking garage?

[HectortheRican]

I found a parking space in a corner with almost a whole other parking space worth of space, but it's not a parking space. So I park my car at an angle. Creativity ftw!

And thanks!

[HectortheRican]

Got my brand spankin' new JDM tails from vincent today!


Unfortunately, I can't install them yet because I'm waiting on the JDM harnesses to get here from home. Hopefully they'll be here tomorrow, then I'll have some finished product pics! I've been waiting for these for half a year! To me, it's the 2nd best exterior mod I'll ever do, after my facelift bumper upgrade.

[cheela]

whoo~!!!! seriously one of the best exterior mods u can do!

[jcbass7]

man, nothing looks better than those tails. Gotta love them

[mak5603]

To me, it's the 2nd best exterior mod I'll ever do, after my facelift bumper upgrade.

Word, they are WORLDS better than OEM, give the celica a whole new look. Many people don't know what they are looking at.

[HectortheRican]

Word, they are WORLDS better than OEM, give the celica a whole new look. Many people don't know what they are looking at.

Hell, I STILL get mistaken for a Supra. I'm just like, "heh, THANKS!!"

[4-eyed-freek]

wooo!! lookin sharp

[mak5603]

Word, they are WORLDS better than OEM, give the celica a whole new look. Many people don't know what they are looking at.

Hell, I STILL get mistaken for a Supra. I'm just like, "heh, THANKS!!"

Since I did my front end, with the combo of loud, tails, spoiler, and front end. 9/10 people that comment on my car ask if its a supra, lol and they are all SO dissapointed when I say no.

[HectortheRican]

Since I did my front end, with the combo of loud, tails, spoiler, and front end. 9/10 people that comment on my car ask if its a supra, lol and they are all SO dissapointed when I say no.

Lol same here! It's a nice feeling though

[HectortheRican]

I'm gonna be going on a mods lent for a little while since I'm in college and no job yet. If I get great deals then of course, I'll get stuff but mostly, I'm gonna focus on school for a while.

Next big mods will be coilovers (NEEEEED EM), rear SSIII splitters(maybe front as well, still haven't decided if I like the Euros better), and 404 or TRD skirts! Gotta have me a sexy shell for a BEAMS

[monkey_matt]

JDM rear lights are the best exterior mod here in the UK as well (along with projectors, but they are just stupidly expensive), much better looking that the original ones

[97celiman]

disc conversion next.

[HectortheRican]

disc conversion next.

True, I forgot about that D: I need to to find the money to get work4poop's!!!

[whatthe]

Well if anything Brake pads upgrade and change brake fluid first. At least thats my plan, personally im not that confident late braking and tailing other cars at times. Feel that its spongey but ive driven alot more worse cars with ****ty brake systems.

[HectortheRican]

I got my brakes replaced 2 weeks ago all around. Rotors/pads up & drums/shoes. She stops SO clean now, I love it.

[whatthe]

What pads did you switch to? I want to change mine soon when meat is gone.

This post has been edited by whatthe: Sep 15, 2010 - 8:09 AM

[HectortheRican]

What pads did you switch to? I want to change mine soon when meat is gone.

I haven't the slightest clue. I took it to a brake shop since I couldn't do it myself because of lack of working area (me living on campus and all) all I did was made sure they put ceramic pads on her.

[96stgreendemon]

EBC Green Stuff is good for dd, lots of dust but a good pad, Yellow and red are great too, Just dont really bite untill they heat up

[HectortheRican]

Installed the JDM tails today! Still haven't got around to de-badging though. And she's DIRTY


This post has been edited by HectortheRican: Sep 15, 2010 - 9:13 PM

[whatthe]

Looks good!

[HectortheRican]

Thanks!

[samir0189]

those tails look great, but i have always wondered, do cops bother about the car not having the rear sidemarker anymore??

jdm tails really update the look of our cars, but i am always fearful about that because the police here will find any reason to pull people over.

[HectortheRican]

samir, I was wondering the same thing. I mean, no one on here with JDM tails has ever posted "Gawwww just got pulled over for not having that damn sidemarker!" topic before, so I think as long as we don't drive like a bat out of hell, cops won't mind.

[4-eyed-freek]

man those looks sweet, nice buy hector!