Before & After - Dxplicitone
08-09-2011, 12:40 AM
#1
Before & After - Dxplicitone
So i have owned this car for just over a year. When i purchased it i had already had plans of painting the car and so i did the deed just about 4-5 months ago and figure it was time to take a few photos since i was out on a drive after work. All i wanted was a simple car, simple stance, with a simple set of wheels and this is what i have after 4 different sets of wheels. Its the highlight of my night to wait for the valet to bring my car around to the front of the casino shiny and clean. Sorry about the last photo as i was losing light quickly.
BMW replica wheels
Iforged wheels
Shot with a Dupont Chromabase base & clear and ADV.1 flow spec wheels, i painted alot of the silver trim while i was at it because i didnt care for it as well as the wood trim in the interior to match the exterior.
Not the best pictures but then again im not a photographer.
BMW replica wheels
Iforged wheels
Shot with a Dupont Chromabase base & clear and ADV.1 flow spec wheels, i painted alot of the silver trim while i was at it because i didnt care for it as well as the wood trim in the interior to match the exterior.
Not the best pictures but then again im not a photographer.
The following users liked this post:
JD TL-S (03-08-2012)
08-09-2011, 03:46 AM
#3
I love the black like everybody when its clean but i miss the easy maintenance of the lighter color for sure. Next paint job will be white (i say that every time).
The following users liked this post:
JD TL-S (03-08-2012)
08-09-2011, 08:46 AM
#4
When I first read what you did, without seeing pictures I was ready to see a disaster, but you did a great job (which I'm sure you know) If I were to ever repaint a car, I wouldnt use the OEM color codes either. I like that black. Loving the wheels as well. You've made it look pretty sporty. Only thing I'm not feeling is the missing amber difuser in the headlight. You need a clear peice in there. I'm working on getting the mold straight to make some clear diffuser for our headlights. Hopefully we'll have a cheaper alternative to the jdm look.
Looking forward to seeing what you did with the interior.
Looking forward to seeing what you did with the interior.
08-09-2011, 10:40 AM
#7
Amazing job...I was thinking, jeez, this guy had someone that knows what they are doing paint this car. Takes balls to change to black. You clearly did jambs but did you do the engine bay or just the visible channels?
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08-09-2011, 12:43 PM
#8
Senior Moderator
Will you give us a better pic of the grill with painted top and bottom? I have to say I'm jealous of the new paint job. That is definitely on my wish list of mods.
08-09-2011, 01:04 PM
#9
Thanks for the positive feedback guys, i rarely post but figured people might want to see how things look with the different trim pieces painted same color in case they have been wanting to do it.
L's TL- Yeah brotha i feel yah on this one. I was actually against doing it but i was already swapping the lens off the passenger side light because of a crack in it so i figured id remove the amber pieces to give it a try. Im "ok" with it but would prefer the lens, but not so much to where ill spend JDM light money on them. I got mortgages to pay. And ill get a shot of the interior for you.
rockstar143- All jams were done yes, but for the engine bay i went as far as the visible channels you are correct, that was a good call. It would have been far too much remove/re-install to get portions of the car nobody hardly ever sees to black so i decided against it.
oo7spy- Ill do this for you sure.
L's TL- Yeah brotha i feel yah on this one. I was actually against doing it but i was already swapping the lens off the passenger side light because of a crack in it so i figured id remove the amber pieces to give it a try. Im "ok" with it but would prefer the lens, but not so much to where ill spend JDM light money on them. I got mortgages to pay. And ill get a shot of the interior for you.
rockstar143- All jams were done yes, but for the engine bay i went as far as the visible channels you are correct, that was a good call. It would have been far too much remove/re-install to get portions of the car nobody hardly ever sees to black so i decided against it.
oo7spy- Ill do this for you sure.
08-09-2011, 02:52 PM
#10
^^^Totally agree with you...engine bay is for a show car only...unless you stay in the same color family, which clearly you didn't.
Either way, you do great work and if you charge $1500 and up for a job like that it would be worth every penny. You have a pro booth or you a garager?
Either way, you do great work and if you charge $1500 and up for a job like that it would be worth every penny. You have a pro booth or you a garager?
08-09-2011, 03:33 PM
#11
I wish i had my own booth, is a dream to have a space big enough for booth, lift, etc. But then i think i would be painting everything like my refrigerator, toilets, etc so maybe its good i dont have one.
I rent a booth from a local shop over the weekends when they are closed. I jammed this car (my RL) in my garage but sprayed the whole car in the booth mainly because black is my nemesis and i wanted to make sure the lighting is proper to ensure proper coverage and final outcome of the finish.
I keep a make shift booth that i build up in my garage for smaller jobs or if the paint booth is taken when i need it. So i have done cars in a pvc, plastic, and box fan booth with filters and they have come out just as good my biggest issue with doing it this way is the lack of lighting. This IS300 below i spray in my garage in the home made booth.
I rent a booth from a local shop over the weekends when they are closed. I jammed this car (my RL) in my garage but sprayed the whole car in the booth mainly because black is my nemesis and i wanted to make sure the lighting is proper to ensure proper coverage and final outcome of the finish.
I keep a make shift booth that i build up in my garage for smaller jobs or if the paint booth is taken when i need it. So i have done cars in a pvc, plastic, and box fan booth with filters and they have come out just as good my biggest issue with doing it this way is the lack of lighting. This IS300 below i spray in my garage in the home made booth.
08-09-2011, 04:52 PM
#13
Senior Moderator
You've got some skills though sir! Keep up the good work
08-09-2011, 09:38 PM
#16
what kind of setup did u go with your drop?
08-09-2011, 11:56 PM
#17
Wow, I didn't know that you painted it yourself. You are insane, in a good way, haha. So did you have to strip down the RL like the IS300 in the pic ?
Oh, and how did you iron out the dents on your RL?
Oh, and how did you iron out the dents on your RL?
Last edited by sleepinxlionhart; 08-10-2011 at 12:00 AM.
08-10-2011, 12:29 AM
#18
Pic request.
L's TL - Interior shot. No mods really in the interior other than audio system but this is the color matched trim. Hard to take photos at night so sorry they arent the best.
oo7spy- Painted grill, pardon the bugs on the front bumper they were trying to cross the street while i was going to work so i rammed em (3.5 points each).
08-10-2011, 12:33 AM
#19
I am riding on Aspec shocks under H&R springs, the front shocks are modded to give me an extra 1" in the front and the rears have the rubber spring top taken out and replaced with a layer of dynomat to dampen the contact of the spring as the rubber did and it gives me another .50" or so in the rear. Rides as it did before the shock mod and the rubber in the rear.
08-10-2011, 12:51 AM
#20
any issues with camber?
08-10-2011, 03:03 AM
#22
Thanks again for the compliments guys.
As for camber you can actually see in the 1st and 2nd pics. The front is minimal about a negative 1 degree when the car was aligned. The rear was a negative 2.5-2.75 at time of alignment. Ill tell you that i expected some uneven wear on the tires but have not noticed anything out of the ordinary in terms of wear. Im sure i wont get full life out of the tires given my camber setup but im not looking for new tires every year either.
As for camber you can actually see in the 1st and 2nd pics. The front is minimal about a negative 1 degree when the car was aligned. The rear was a negative 2.5-2.75 at time of alignment. Ill tell you that i expected some uneven wear on the tires but have not noticed anything out of the ordinary in terms of wear. Im sure i wont get full life out of the tires given my camber setup but im not looking for new tires every year either.
08-10-2011, 11:20 PM
#29
how much are those wheels????>
I just looked up ADV wheels online and it looks like, if I am reading the website correclty, that these wheels are $1400-1500 EACH?? that's insane. please tell me that is for a whole set...
what size?
looks nice!!
how is the ride?
i'm curious.. what did you think of the quality of those BMW replica wheels and how heavy where they? the prices on those wheels are GREAT but I'm worried the quality is crap.
I just looked up ADV wheels online and it looks like, if I am reading the website correclty, that these wheels are $1400-1500 EACH?? that's insane. please tell me that is for a whole set...
what size?
looks nice!!
how is the ride?
i'm curious.. what did you think of the quality of those BMW replica wheels and how heavy where they? the prices on those wheels are GREAT but I'm worried the quality is crap.
Last edited by 23109VC; 08-10-2011 at 11:25 PM.
08-11-2011, 01:07 AM
#30
Hello there again sir. We actually had this conversation over PM's when i was selling these wheels as a complete set, and as i said previously i personally was not a fan of them for a few reasons.
- the style of the wheels were a little too much or as many say too busy for the body styling of the RL.
- i was never confident in the quality of them i swear i hit a small plate in the road and it ended up bending a wheel slightly and i had to purchase a new one to replace it because of this
- The company themselves i had major issues with. My tire shop could never balance the tire on one wheel and showed me on the balance machine that the wheel was not true from out the box. I contacted the owner and drove my ass to socal to remedy the situation as when the words "if you were local i would swap the wheel out for you" came out his mouth i was on the road. After going the whole way i put up a hell of a fight to get what i was promised . So horrible customer service.
The price may be right but in the end i believe you will find yourself spending far more money for repairs and issues down the line if you buy those wheels. And (dont take this wrong way) how picky you are before you buy something for your car you will never truly be happy with these wheels as they will not give you the ride you are looking for the moment you hit an imperfection in the road. You seem like if your going to spend the money it better be the absolute best you could have got for your money, and those are not it. I can see why your still "on the fence" cause you know in your mind you shouldnt but the price keeps you looking.
ADV.1 as much negative press this company has got in the past they make a nice wheel no doubt. The Flow Specs that i have were manufactured by MHT which has been in wheels for many years and make a decent product. The retail on them is not as much as you think but it is per wheel
Link to the wheels on site
And you can usually find a dealer on a Mercedes or Lexus forum trying to sell them on group orders etc. They are suppose to come satin black but can be refinished from the manufacture, i personally refinished mine at the same time i did the car the grain silver from a Subaru WRX as i dont like black wheels.
The size 20x8.5 square 35 offset
Hows the ride? As good as a sedan can be with such a dramatic drop and a bologna skin tire. Its tight, a little less luxurious than OEM obviously but nothing horrible. Im really a fashion before function guy when it comes to wheels and tires and the 20" wheel on a 35 series tire is going to kill your ride quality but looks so proper for this car. Being in Vegas i drive people all the time and still get comments of the car riding smooth but they also know cars and know that it rides good for the setup the car has.
- the style of the wheels were a little too much or as many say too busy for the body styling of the RL.
- i was never confident in the quality of them i swear i hit a small plate in the road and it ended up bending a wheel slightly and i had to purchase a new one to replace it because of this
- The company themselves i had major issues with. My tire shop could never balance the tire on one wheel and showed me on the balance machine that the wheel was not true from out the box. I contacted the owner and drove my ass to socal to remedy the situation as when the words "if you were local i would swap the wheel out for you" came out his mouth i was on the road. After going the whole way i put up a hell of a fight to get what i was promised . So horrible customer service.
The price may be right but in the end i believe you will find yourself spending far more money for repairs and issues down the line if you buy those wheels. And (dont take this wrong way) how picky you are before you buy something for your car you will never truly be happy with these wheels as they will not give you the ride you are looking for the moment you hit an imperfection in the road. You seem like if your going to spend the money it better be the absolute best you could have got for your money, and those are not it. I can see why your still "on the fence" cause you know in your mind you shouldnt but the price keeps you looking.
ADV.1 as much negative press this company has got in the past they make a nice wheel no doubt. The Flow Specs that i have were manufactured by MHT which has been in wheels for many years and make a decent product. The retail on them is not as much as you think but it is per wheel
Link to the wheels on site
And you can usually find a dealer on a Mercedes or Lexus forum trying to sell them on group orders etc. They are suppose to come satin black but can be refinished from the manufacture, i personally refinished mine at the same time i did the car the grain silver from a Subaru WRX as i dont like black wheels.
The size 20x8.5 square 35 offset
Hows the ride? As good as a sedan can be with such a dramatic drop and a bologna skin tire. Its tight, a little less luxurious than OEM obviously but nothing horrible. Im really a fashion before function guy when it comes to wheels and tires and the 20" wheel on a 35 series tire is going to kill your ride quality but looks so proper for this car. Being in Vegas i drive people all the time and still get comments of the car riding smooth but they also know cars and know that it rides good for the setup the car has.
08-13-2011, 11:00 AM
#32
thanks for the info! that old saying - you get what you pay for - is often true! I would not be happy with wheels that wouldn't balance.... i've had issues with wheel balancing on a prior car - and vibrations when you are cruising at speed drive me nuts. my car currently runs sock solid - very tight steering, no wobbles, no nothing. it's floaty, but it's solid. if i do wheels, i'll stick with OEM or better quality.
i found some aspec refurbs for about $600 a set online. now you have me wondering if they are sets that were totally bent (not just scuffed) and maybe they will never balance right either?!?
your car looks very nice. the drop, the wheels - excellent.
did you do aspec first then add the H&R springs OR did you do H&R springs first, then later swap in the aspec struts?
i'm curious how your ride changed from stock to each gradual change?
I know the drop on H&Rs is visually much better than aspec, but i've seen some people run H&Rs on stock shocks a long time and some people claim it got bouncy and put in aspecs to fix the ride...
i found some aspec refurbs for about $600 a set online. now you have me wondering if they are sets that were totally bent (not just scuffed) and maybe they will never balance right either?!?
your car looks very nice. the drop, the wheels - excellent.
did you do aspec first then add the H&R springs OR did you do H&R springs first, then later swap in the aspec struts?
i'm curious how your ride changed from stock to each gradual change?
I know the drop on H&Rs is visually much better than aspec, but i've seen some people run H&Rs on stock shocks a long time and some people claim it got bouncy and put in aspecs to fix the ride...
08-13-2011, 04:45 PM
#34
Again thanks everybody for the positive feedback, its appreciated.
The car is currently at the stealership because i arched the battery when changing the thermostat and now the cars electronics are a wreck! Lets hope they dont rape me too hard to remedy the problem.
23109VC - I looked at replica Aspec wheels myself and stayed away because of the same issues i had with the BMW replicas. I saw these
Click for Link
As well as a few other places costs ranging from $159-$189/each and still did not pull the trigger. My personal take is with how it seems you like your car to ride your best bet is going to be a H&R/Aspec combo and a set of OEM Aspecs that you will get second hand in great shape. I think dollar for dollar for the look and maintaining comfort this is going to be your combo. I think if you go to a 19" wheel with the thin sidewall you will lose more comfort than you are wanting to give up. And if you go with a 20" wheel which i personally think for looks fit the car perfectly, but again with the thin sidewall comfort again is more than you are willing to lose. Be patient and the right OEM Aspecs will come up.
I like many others did do the H&R over the OEM shocks first, rode "ok" then i modded the shocks in front and pulled the rubber stub in the rear to get the drop where it is now and then after about 3 months it got too "loose". Purchased the Aspec suspension from Acura of Reno, sold the OEM Aspec springs to help the cost of the shocks and was pleased with the outcome of the way it sits today.
The car is currently at the stealership because i arched the battery when changing the thermostat and now the cars electronics are a wreck! Lets hope they dont rape me too hard to remedy the problem.
23109VC - I looked at replica Aspec wheels myself and stayed away because of the same issues i had with the BMW replicas. I saw these
Click for Link
As well as a few other places costs ranging from $159-$189/each and still did not pull the trigger. My personal take is with how it seems you like your car to ride your best bet is going to be a H&R/Aspec combo and a set of OEM Aspecs that you will get second hand in great shape. I think dollar for dollar for the look and maintaining comfort this is going to be your combo. I think if you go to a 19" wheel with the thin sidewall you will lose more comfort than you are wanting to give up. And if you go with a 20" wheel which i personally think for looks fit the car perfectly, but again with the thin sidewall comfort again is more than you are willing to lose. Be patient and the right OEM Aspecs will come up.
I like many others did do the H&R over the OEM shocks first, rode "ok" then i modded the shocks in front and pulled the rubber stub in the rear to get the drop where it is now and then after about 3 months it got too "loose". Purchased the Aspec suspension from Acura of Reno, sold the OEM Aspec springs to help the cost of the shocks and was pleased with the outcome of the way it sits today.
08-14-2011, 12:58 AM
#35
Sorry to here that. Pretty sure the labor rates are high in Vegas I'm in El Paso now and the labor rates are $110 Hr here. While its still high it is lower than when I was in Salt Lake City. Hope its nothing to serious.
08-15-2011, 05:49 PM
#37
Before & Afters of the trunk?
This is my previous system MTX amps, with Mb Quart mids and highs, and 3 RE Audio 8's ran off an MTX REQ-5. Very simple setup.
I ripped it for couple of reasons, i had to replace the plexiglass every other month because i didnt take care of it i would throw stuff in it and scratch it up. And then my sub amp just stopped working one day so it was time to re-group, re-buy and, re-build. It was 90% done and then it went into the shop for work as stated above. Its going to be much less showy but better output.
Changed
MTX REQ-5 for a AudioControl LC7
MB Quart components in front for RockFord Punch Series components
MB Quart coaxial in the rear for RockFord Punch Series coaxial
MTX 50x4 mid amp for an MB Quart Onyx 75x4
MTX 600 Mono for a 1200 RMS AudioQue
3 RE Audio 8's to 1 Sundown Sa-10
Im not sure if its because my MB Quart mids were older or what but the clarity and output from the RF's to the Mb Q's is night and day, i would also assume because of more power as well but its fantastic. The sub is way more than i needed as i dont really thump my music and just like it balanced and clear but the Sundown and AudioQue combo was incredible for output. All in all the system stepped up in a bit way and im pleased with the performance so far. I havent had a chance to watch a movie on it yet but im sure it will be great for the long road trips.
This is my previous system MTX amps, with Mb Quart mids and highs, and 3 RE Audio 8's ran off an MTX REQ-5. Very simple setup.
I ripped it for couple of reasons, i had to replace the plexiglass every other month because i didnt take care of it i would throw stuff in it and scratch it up. And then my sub amp just stopped working one day so it was time to re-group, re-buy and, re-build. It was 90% done and then it went into the shop for work as stated above. Its going to be much less showy but better output.
Changed
MTX REQ-5 for a AudioControl LC7
MB Quart components in front for RockFord Punch Series components
MB Quart coaxial in the rear for RockFord Punch Series coaxial
MTX 50x4 mid amp for an MB Quart Onyx 75x4
MTX 600 Mono for a 1200 RMS AudioQue
3 RE Audio 8's to 1 Sundown Sa-10
Im not sure if its because my MB Quart mids were older or what but the clarity and output from the RF's to the Mb Q's is night and day, i would also assume because of more power as well but its fantastic. The sub is way more than i needed as i dont really thump my music and just like it balanced and clear but the Sundown and AudioQue combo was incredible for output. All in all the system stepped up in a bit way and im pleased with the performance so far. I havent had a chance to watch a movie on it yet but im sure it will be great for the long road trips.
Last edited by DXplicitOne; 08-15-2011 at 06:03 PM.
08-17-2011, 12:42 AM
#39
are those aspec wheels you posted the link to OEM wheels that are just refurbished, or are those total knock offs???
thanks for the input. i will probably try to stick with 18s at most, and H&Rs... i might even just toss the H&Rs on with my stock 17s.... or would that look stupid?
thanks for the input. i will probably try to stick with 18s at most, and H&Rs... i might even just toss the H&Rs on with my stock 17s.... or would that look stupid?
08-17-2011, 01:03 AM
#40
are those aspec wheels you posted the link to OEM wheels that are just refurbished, or are those total knock offs???
thanks for the input. i will probably try to stick with 18s at most, and H&Rs... i might even just toss the H&Rs on with my stock 17s.... or would that look stupid?
thanks for the input. i will probably try to stick with 18s at most, and H&Rs... i might even just toss the H&Rs on with my stock 17s.... or would that look stupid?
The link is replicas from what i know of them.
I personally think that the cars stance is always the first thing that i change as it completely changes the character of a vehicle. I put H&R's on my stock 17's because it was something i was going to do anyway and it was the cheapest modification, so why not do it first. You can see countless cars on this site from the RL, plenty of TL's, etc with just a simple drop and it completely changes the feel and look of the vehicle for the better IMO. If its something you plan to do anyway i suggest go for it.