Teh Official "Dude Where's My Forum?" Thread, Brought to you by the minds of Box, and her fiancée, Lorelei Options

[1994Celica]

It needs an entire new floor and more. I'm lost right now

[Box]

That really bites and hate it for you. I'm surprised you didn't find it sooner, but it's a good thing you did though because god forbid if you were in accident you were at a disadvantage even if it were showroom new but with the floors like that the structure is compromised being a unibody car. It's one of those damned if you do damned if you don't situations, spend more money and time or lose money selling it. This is why I've sworn off buying any more cars made before the mid 80's unless it's a car I'm prepared to do a full out restoration on.

PelicanParts has floor pans for the 914 and lots of other stuff you might need, but it comes at a price of course...

This post has been edited by Box: Dec 23, 2016 - 4:11 AM

[Bitter]

After I bought my Celica I found a huge hole in the floor, had it fixed, been fine since. Some asshat ran a lift pad in the wrong place.

[1994Celica]

Pictures of the damage.

[Box]

To be honest that looks not quite as bad as I expected it to for a car of its age. I say go at it with a wire brush, or even better a powered wire wheel, and shop vac it all out then patch the floor and rail then hit it all with rust converter and sealer. As you clean it up if the worst is the section of frame rail and a few spots of the floor it can be patched and hold you until you can redo it all with new metal.

[1994Celica]

To be honest that looks not quite as bad as I expected it to for a car of its age. I say go at it with a wire brush, or even better a powered wire wheel, and shop vac it all out then patch the floor and rail then hit it all with rust converter and sealer. As you clean it up if the worst is the section of frame rail and a few spots of the floor it can be patched and hold you until you can redo it all with new metal.

It's worse in person and I'm sure there's more hiding. My main concern is the last picture.

[Box]

I looked at it closer and I think I see what you mean. I guess you'll have a better idea once you have the time to clean it up some.

So first impression with the Hella lamps give me a good feeling about later tonight when I re-aim and go for a test drive. The glass is clearer, the reflector is clearer and brighter, and it has a bulb shield that probably helps as well. Oh and the bulb dust shield on the Hella is a lot better designed. Not that the Autopals are bad quality, they're just not as good but of course that's to be expected for the price difference I suppose. Also managed to snap a lights up pic, not at all happy like the Miata. Seems to be thinking about something:

[Bitter]

Yep, optical quality glass, not soda bottle glass.

[SwissFerdi]

Helmet shopping.

http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/83204...&sizeid=107
http://www.motosport.com/agv-k3-sv-helmet-myth
http://www.motosport.com/shoei-qwest-helmet
http://www.motosport.com/bell-bullitt-helmet-triple-threat
http://www.motosport.com/arai-vector2-helmet-twist

This post has been edited by SwissFerdi: Dec 23, 2016 - 7:38 PM

[Box]

So initial impression immediately can tell the difference going up against the wall it's sooo much cleaner and crisper with good fill, very little foreground scatter if any. Went down the road to where I double check and fine tune and on the way I came across some jerk with eBay special blue HIDs in their reflector housings and no one was in front of me or behind them so I left the brights on, funny they swerved away from me. Anyhow finally remembered to grab some pics against the wall:


Going down the road nice sign and road illumination, very consistent beam pattern and good down the road coverage. Even on low I can see 200-300 feet ahead, high beam easily 500+ feet. I wish I had bought these to begin with but I was certain I'd go to HIDs and it'd have been a waste. Oh well live and learn. I will say the AutoPals would be good for a weekend car or a car that rarely sees night if you don't want to spend much more over sealed beam replacements. I'd say the light coverage with the Hella lamps and 100/80W CandlePower bulbs on a 12 AWG relay harness is as good or better than my brother's Genesis with the H11 retrofit HID and H1 mini HID but is of course a lot more on the yellow-white side.

[Box]

Helmet shopping.

http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/83204...&sizeid=107
http://www.motosport.com/agv-k3-sv-helmet-myth
http://www.motosport.com/shoei-qwest-helmet
http://www.motosport.com/bell-bullitt-helmet-triple-threat
http://www.motosport.com/arai-vector2-helmet-twist

My brother said to go with Shoei, just in general with the brand. He said when he was researching those were the ones to go with if you value your life.

This post has been edited by Box: Dec 23, 2016 - 9:19 PM

[Bitter]

Yep, not gonna say I told you so but I told you so. The difference between the Autopal and Hella are just stunning on the road, like I said you may have never gotten brighter bulbs if you'd started with the Hella but those high beams must be just like staring at the sun! You won't get the ultimate width but you get more distance. I like how the Hella put light out where you need it vs the Autopal wasting it in close where you don't want it. You'll probably find the Hella more comfortable to drive with at highway speeds at night too.

[Box]

I know, it's just good for me I value your opinion. Even after buying them I was somewhat skeptical they'd be that much better, but it was immediately apparent against the side of the house and then going down the road. It'll take a few nights getting used to the light being out further ahead though, but it was a lot more comfortable just on the short drive. Seriously I think it's better than the Genesis now, he put on a new exhaust and wants me to hear it(i.e. he's not pleased and wants my input on how to make it better) so I'll have a fresh comparison. I'm going to try and talk him into going to an o.e.m. D2S low beam projector with Morimoto or Philips and Denso HID kit and a mini D2S for the inner low/high with matching HID kit and modify his original housings, as what he has on it now was a pre-modified set he bought.

[Bitter]

You'll love it. I drove around with my aunty in the Capri for about 30 minutes and she loved it on the 55W and 60W low and high beams. The high beams bouncing off the road signs were almost too bright!

[SwissFerdi]

My brother said to go with Shoei, just in general with the brand. He said when he was researching those were the ones to go with if you value your life.

That or Arai, but these are 'spensive so I will settle for the Bell or AVG.

[Box]

Ended up going for a ride along and between 2,500-3,250 rpm or so in third gear or higher there's a TERRIBLE bwaaaarph sound from the exhaust that resonates through the car and echoes through the city or woods. The more load the worst it is. I had him buy a Jones JR30 muffler that's like mine but it's a 3" in/out with a 10" long body that's 6" diameter made of 304 stainless to install into the downpipe in front of the new catback with its "race muffler" which from what I saw is mostly a resonator loosely packed with stainless steel wool. Not really a true resonator but far from a true muffler, a muffled resonator?

That and I was right as shortly after we took my car up to the store to grab something and even low beam is better, high beam is no comparison. Oh my god at the high beam, no **** it lights up both sides of the road from the ground to the tree tops for 500+ feet on the straightaway section of the highway. Even he was impressed "for them to be square halogen lamps". I'd hate to know what 130/100W bulbs would do.

My brother said to go with Shoei, just in general with the brand. He said when he was researching those were the ones to go with if you value your life.

That or Arai, but these are 'spensive so I will settle for the Bell or AVG.

The Bell were supposed to be good too I think. I asked and he bought a HJC? since it was supposed to be good for the money since he didn't know if he would keep the bike or not and planned to get a Shoei if he had.

[1994Celica]

And for Christmas Santa brought me more rust. Time to learn how to weld.

[Box]

If it's any consolation for a car of its age that didn't stay in a garage all it's life that really doesn't seem too bad. Outside of garage or resto queens I've never seen a car made before the mid 80's that doesn't have rust to some extent, and that's with living in the south. Hopefully Santa brought you a welder and sheet metal too.

[Bitter]

Have you never been under the car before?

[1994Celica]

Have you never been under the car before?

I have and I knew it had some rust, but not to this extent.