Not_So_Fast_Eddie

My interior is done! I'm very happy with the results because of how everything was done custom and isn't something you can just buy off a shelf. Can't wait to use my bose sound system as stock subaru speakers SUCK.



Total cost for the nexus install was 171.23 which isnot bad at all seeing how a comparable head unit cost a hell of a lot more. The way the nexus is wired in, is it will only charge when the key is in and is auxed into the radio by the cd button.

El-Baz

Very nice work!

Not_So_Fast_Eddie

I kinda forgot to put an update in. The car has been back on the road since Friday. The new headlights are awesome, I love the color band at the top. When the weather clears up I'm going to focus on repainting some trim, and working on restoring my NBP.




I discovered a method that works great for restoring the lenses. They probably haven't been this clear since they were installed.

And the projectors light up other RLs nicely too



If you haven't noticed I like the color blue.

Not_So_Fast_Eddie

Anyone have a recommendation for tint %? Maine law is 35% for front and anything goes for out back. I was thinking maybe 35% all around as uniform looks better than a mix.

DynamicJ32

Great work!

Always a fan of custom interiors that have been done right.

3.5RLv-tec?

iTrader: (2)

Well done. I, myself love blue too. I can't wait till summer to install the LEDs. Anyway, you should turbo your RL! Some one did it!

Not_So_Fast_Eddie

Thanks DynamicJ32 and 3.5RLv-tec? ! Do you have a source on the turbo'd RL or is it one of the 3.5 swaps into a legend?

3.5RLv-tec?

iTrader: (2)

Yes. I got the source but I'm using my iPhone right now. It is over at acuralegenddotcom. You should check it out. No it is not a 3.5 swap into the Legend. I think he mounted the turbo under the car!

3.5RLv-tec?

iTrader: (2)

Ops, I gave u the wrong link. It should be acuralegend dot org. Google that now for the turbo RL!

OLD_HATCH

Black RL on 20s with an air to water intercooler where the stock airbox goes?

Not_So_Fast_Eddie

Dude that Turbo RL is crazy! I wanna know what kind of numbers its getting! And how bad it drained his wallet.

Also I guess I did tint. I'm doing it myself since I can't afford (or want to) pay someone else to do it. I've only gotten the rear sides done so far but its in True Smoke Ultra by EWF. It's 35% and it will be on all my windows.

I'ts a lot darker than I was expecting but it looks pretty awesome.



As long as it doesn't bubble like crazy on me I don't care.

Not_So_Fast_Eddie

Ok so I've learned a lot about tinting. I ended up using a lot (22') and kinda failed making my rear window one. In my defense it was a big challenge for first time. I tinted my front drivers one and it was just too dark. I'm not interested in getting pulled over so I'm gonna switch to a lighter tint say 50% on the front.

This was front and back tinted:


This is how my back came out:


And this is how it looks at night. No I wasn't trying to pull some fancy effect it just ended up like that.

As long as I didn't ruin my rear defroster I'd call it a success. And on a side note I am having NO luck doing the independent fog light mod

I connected the red / blue stripe wire from the fog relay to the red / black stripe fog light wire (one of the two) and it refuses to light up my fogs. I tested and there is 12v there but I have no clue why. Is there something I need to do to the switch?

3.5RLv-tec?

iTrader: (2)

Eddie, can you tell us how you hacked the nexus 7. I mean how did you get it to power up and charged. Also, I'm assuming you have an USB cable hooked to its right? I might going to install the Nexus but it is not going in the dash. I already had the DVD there, I think I'm going to put it on top of the steering wheel, just in front of the cluster. So I'm going to need to make a molding out of it lol.

Not_So_Fast_Eddie

Sorry that's classified!

Nah just kidding it was actually really easy.

Basically the 5v converter is powered from the cigarette lighter. I used t taps behind it so there is no wires shown and it can still be used for other stuff. It works out great since the car only supplies power to it when the key is in position.

Here's a hand drawn diagram that explains it a bit better.

Basically the 5v is spliced into the USB charge cord for the nexus and only connected to one end. I did this because I didn't think a computer connected to it would respond well to receiving 5v.

Hope this clarifies it a bit. And if you put it in front of your cluster how are ya gonna see the gauges lol.

3.5RLv-tec?

iTrader: (2)

Thanks for the diagram, but I'm still confused lol. Anyway, I think I'm just going to power it up by plug into the cig. lighter directly. Does the Nexus 7 have two USB port connectors or just one. Charged and USB data in the same port? Lol, I'm not going to mount it directly in front of the cluster. I'm going to mount it on top of the steering column, just enough to see the gauges.

Not_So_Fast_Eddie

Haha the nexus 7 only has one USB port. Think of what I did as split the two functions of the usb cable into two seperate usbs in a Y shape.

And an interesting app for the nexus 7 is it can display your speedometer onto your windshield at night by leaving it laying on your dash.

Not_So_Fast_Eddie

Update time!

So in the mean time I've been learning how to tint. So far I've tinted 4 cars and I'm actually getting decent at it. The initial 35% I ordered somehow managed to be 5% hence what is on my back windows. I tinted my fronts last night and it came out good. Don't think I mentioned this before but I also blacked out all my lower chrome.




Next mod is to install this stuff



I also need new bearings in my power steering pump, and alternator so those will be mid summer. I plan on dying my carpet back to black from a faded purple and will be doing some rust removal on the underside. Overall I'm making good progress. That's it for now.

3.5RLv-tec?

iTrader: (2)

Nice, you have some good tinting skills. I can't wait for the muffler install. After 2 Magnaflows and Flowmaster, I'm getting tired of the aftermarket muffler on the RL. My plan is to get the g35 or g37 sedan muffler lol.

MyNameIsEarl

Eddie, you've got mail.

Not_So_Fast_Eddie

3.5RL-Vtec? Thats because I didn't show the back =p.



My cars rear 3 were the first 3 windows I tinted. All of it will be ripped off (carefully) and replaced with 15%. 5% is just too dark for me. The muffler is suppose to be going in on Saturday and the new grill will be done the weekend after that.

And why are you thinking of getting the g35 or g37 muffler? Are you trying to match their sound?

3.5RLv-tec?

iTrader: (2)

Ok, I'll take back my words haha.
Well, if I can get the G35 sound then it is going to be sweet! Nah, the stock muffler is heavy plus I also have a big sub box in trunk, so it's sagging a little bit on the passenger side. I'm getting the g35 sedan muffler because it really small and I hope it doesn't weight a lot.
BTW, I think I'll plastidip my car white. I getting tired of cleaning my black car every week. Beside, people always looking at you while you have a shinning car lol.

GoStumpy

I wish mine was black!

MyNameIsEarl

I love your cat, by the way. haha

Not_So_Fast_Eddie

Vtec? post some pics if you plastidip it!

And thanks Earl haha.

Since college ended and I don't have a full time job yet I've spent the past day in the garage removing my interior and dying my carpet. It took about 4 hours to dismantle yesterday and another 6 to rebuild it today. I also swapped out my broken seat panels for mint ones. The dye did wonders vs the original look.






The leather is getting some much needed lexol cleaning tomorrow and the muffler is going in on Saturday (pushed back a week).

3.5RLv-tec?

iTrader: (2)

Thx god u didn't forget about this thread lol. Anyway, I'm still waiting for you to install the muffler. How long is ur resonator? I like your dyed carpet. Make me want to dye my tan carpet to black but I don't have time to do it .

Not_So_Fast_Eddie

I actually don't know how long the resonator is lol. I think its a 12". I'm going to have the muffler installed tomorrow morning. If you have two days you can dedicate to your carpet it can easily be done. It took about 60 bucks worth of dye since I had to go to 4 different stores.

When the mufflers installed I'll post some pics tomorrow.

And on the downside I have an oil leak...

Not_So_Fast_Eddie

New muffler is in! The resonator was not installed due to fitment issues. Overall the borla sounds pretty good. It drones at 2k and a bit at 3k but its nice and quite for highway travels. It's also hidden like the stock one as I wanted to keep a stock look to it.




Overall I'm happy I did hear it clanging at 700 rpm which it only did once but the guy who installed it is really laid back so I'm not worried. It was 180 labor and 100 for the muffler.

3.5RLv-tec?

iTrader: (2)

What! 180$ just for the install?! He just removed the old muffler and welded the new one in right? Or there is something else involved? Anyway, I'm just curious how lound is your muffler compare to my flowmaster 50 delta series. I'm thinking to add a vibrant ultra quite resonator to tone down the noise a little bit. Hope it has some room for it.

Not_So_Fast_Eddie

He cut from behind the stock resonator and created a new pipe to travel to the muffler. He also made some tips for it that bend down off the muffler. He's the kind of guy who will fix it if you don't like how it sounds and he even gave me and a friend who came free t shirts so it wasn't that bad. I think I may get some sound proof matting for the trunk as the exhaust is just as loud with the windows open or shut. I'll have to make a video sometime.

3.5RLv-tec?

iTrader: (2)

Yeah, I was thinking the same. Put the sound deaden in the whole bottom of the trunk and under the seat should help. Don't bother to sound proofing the doors bcuz I did all 4 doors and it just sound the same as before lol. The only differences I can tell is when the doors are closed, it sounds rock solid lol. Btw, a video clip would be great Hahhaa.

Not_So_Fast_Eddie

I'm back!



Although I think its too much black I miss some chrome.

MyNameIsEarl

My God, I've been wondering where you've been.

I've gotten lonely.

Not_So_Fast_Eddie

Haha sorry I started a full time job for the summer so I'm a bit short on time. I have two mods I wanna try to do today, not sure if I'll get them done or not.

Not_So_Fast_Eddie

Alright I did finish one completely and the other is half done. It's a subtle one.



I've always felt that the large square fog lights show the cars true age so I played with some vinyl to create a new shape. Not too sure how I feel about it though.

usdmJON

Looks great!! Love the shape of the fogs.

Not_So_Fast_Eddie

Thanks usdmJON! It was about time I did something to my faded side skirts so heres the test results of the first one. It will be wetsanded tomorrow to improve it a bit more but it looks pretty legit.



After:

GoStumpy

Looks sick!

I priced out a stock muffler and it was $285cdn... to keep the stock sound I'm gonna save up and go with it.. my muffler has a couple holes in it so I have a bit of a drone sound.

I love my chrome but yours definitely looks good blacked out. Nice work.

LOVE LOVE LOVE the blue accents on the interior.

Not_So_Fast_Eddie

Thanks! You should check out sites like Rockauto they sell OEM matching mufflers for a lot cheaper. I'm not sure how the sound would compare though.

I plan on showing a bit more chrome on the front eventually. Preferably with a new grill but its too much $$$ haha.

MyNameIsEarl

What paint do you use to get the reflective effect? Do you have a paint gun? Or do you use the color match store bought stuff?

Also where did you get the aluminum kick plates?

3.5RLv-tec?

iTrader: (2)

I think he used spray can and wet sanded then buffed it out. I painted my front lip with spray can too and it came out great, but it didn't last long because of the rock chips lol. You can order custom spary can online.