My first car | slow moving project | Big update! :D

That looks like a good shoot PB, there were some very cool photos there. I especially like the 3rd one from the top, you've got some good photoshop skillz man đź‘Ť
 
This one:
dscf0004tr9.jpg


Just looks fantastic. I'd love to have that kind of a shot of my own car. Nice work.
 
Well, no pics, but I changed my rear left wheel bearing. It doesn't sound like theres a train behind me anymore, but now theres a rythmatic sort of sound like I run over a stick on the road every second. Sort of a little "bump" but with no bump.
 
Perfect Balance
Well, no pics, but I changed my rear left wheel bearing. It doesn't sound like theres a train behind me anymore, but now theres a rythmatic sort of sound like I run over a stick on the road every second. Sort of a little "bump" but with no bump.
Click to expand...


It still makes that sound, even after you fixed it?
 
Ok, here's the next update. This modification cost me 4 bucks and it looks awesome.

DIY Civic Type R lights.đź‘Ť:sly:








There is supposed to be 4 pics, but I have a feeling they aren't working, imageshack was taking forever.
 
*graphite gray metallic...graphite gray metallic...graphite gray metallic*

I have to remember that. The headlights do look good. I'd appreciate it if you would post up your method in detail so somebody like myself doesn't end up getting frustrated and breaking the lens. Also, update on how the paint handles the heat and weather.
 
Keef
*graphite gray metallic...graphite gray metallic...graphite gray metallic*

I have to remember that. The headlights do look good. I'd appreciate it if you would post up your method in detail so somebody like myself doesn't end up getting frustrated and breaking the lens. Also, update on how the paint handles the heat and weather.
Click to expand...
Thanks, you can also use Gunmetal metallic, that's also a popular color for this type of thing. Something dark silver and metallic, that's all. Flat black looks weird, I saw a few pics of lights that the person used flat black, and its a bit too dark looking.

To take apart the headlights, I used a hairdryer and 2 flathead screwdrivers. It takes some time, and I found out it's better to heat one corner until you can get it completely apart, and just move down the sides. Pulling it apart 1mm at a time requires a lot of patience, and the other sides cool down while you do another part, making you have to heat it up again.

If you break the lens you are doing something wrong, since I was putting a lot of force into it, and I didn't have any problems.

I'd rather not post my method for doing it, just because I skipped a lot of steps and didn't really do things the "right" way, so it wouldn't be a good idea to follow my steps. You can easily search for "Do it yourself CTR (Civic type r) headlights" and find what you need, as the threads are everywhere.

I'll make sure to update if the paint starts falling off and stuff, but it's most likely going to be because of my impatient prep work, not because of the paint.
 
I remember that my dad told me he had white wheels on his bug. One time, a trucker commented over the C.B. on how sharp they looked and asked where he got them. Dad replied, "Can of Rust-oleum"

Somethimes, if you know how to use it, you can get pretty good results with spray paint.
 
Jim Prower
I remember that my dad told me he had white wheels on his bug. One time, a trucker commented over the C.B. on how sharp they looked and asked where he got them. Dad replied, "Can of Rust-oleum"

Somethimes, if you know how to use it, you can get pretty good results with spray paint.
Click to expand...
Yep, in the right hands, a can of spray paint can do wonders. I paint cars in school, so I know how to spray paint quite well. This will be a big help when I spray paint my side skirts silver until I get some money for real paint.đź‘Ť
 
Today I bought brighter headlamps for the car, it's awesome. Pics will come whenever I take pics again, since I changed them at the store when I walked out, so I didn't have a camera on hand.

Oh, and I have real license plates now.đź‘Ť
 
On Saturday I went to my cousins house and we painted my sideskirts and the plastic thing around my license plate silver.

Tell me what you think.





And another pic while I'm at it.


Please post your thoughts and comments!

EDIT: There is 3 pics, if any are not working, let me know.
 
It's coming out great PB đź‘Ť That car is looking better and better, unless off course you're not cheating on us with your Photoshop skills :lol:

Anyway, what is the next step if there is one?
 
Ultrashot
It's coming out great PB đź‘Ť That car is looking better and better, unless off course you're not cheating on us with your Photoshop skills :lol:

Anyway, what is the next step if there is one?
Click to expand...
Thanks.

Unless something else comes up, the next step should be a set of wheels, but that should take a couple of months to save money. I will probably think of something else though, so you should expect more little things like I've been posting so far.

The wheels will probably be 5Zigen Pro Racer or Buddy Club P1 Forged wheels. 5Zigen is cheaper, but Buddy club is better, so I'm stuck between the two.

EDIT: @Kenny: Hmm, those weren't meant to be "cool" in any way, although the first one was.
 
Looks awesome with the painted skirts! How'd you do it, and how hard was it? It wasn't a roller job was it?! :lol:

If at all possible, the next step should be the side moulding. From my own personal experience with the Prelude, its changes the look of the car just as drastically as the side skirts.
 
SRV2LOW4ME
Looks awesome with the painted skirts! How'd you do it, and how hard was it? It wasn't a roller job was it?! :lol:

If at all possible, the next step should be the side moulding. From my own personal experience with the Prelude, its changes the look of the car just as drastically as the side skirts.
Click to expand...
The skirts were painted with the normal painting procedure. Take em off, wash them. Then for the next 5-10 minutes, you have at em with a scuff pad or sandpaper, around 400 grit. Wash them again and let them fully dry. Then spray them with some adhesion promoter, to get the paint to stick to the plastic. After that sits for about 10 minutes, just spray on the silver. I used a paint gun, so mine turned out nice. 3 layers of clearcoat and 24 hours of drying, you should be good to go.

It wasn't hard for me since I do this type of thing a lot, but for metallic colors like silver and gold, you have to always keep a steady distance and speed while spraying, otherwise you get a sort of cloudy look.

As for the side moldings, that will come later. The sideskirts cost me nothing, since my uncle had leftover paint, but everything else must wait.

EDIT: You shouldn't really just take my word on how to paint stuff. It varies a lot on what's available and what you are painting.
 
That first picture is amazing. You seriously need to consider getting into photography as a second major or a big hobby or something. Car photography FTW. And you were right about the EK looking better all body-color. Man, I must be lazy or something because all I've managed to do on my car is put a K&N on it! :lol:

I checked out my headlights to see if I could paint them. Sadly, there's nothing there to paint. It's all mirror. The only part thats paintable is on the inside bottom corner, and that'd look pretty dumb, like the car just woke up or something.

I tried to take off the rubber bumper-strip on the outside lip of my fenders (the thing thats glued on) but I could see that the old paint was coming up with it, so I just stuck it back on the car. I'll have the dealer fix that when I have them fix the rust around the inside of that right-rear wheel well.
 

Latest Posts

Back