Just a quick update from the battlefront...I've been working steadily in what precious little free time I have, and after 3 different photo paper attempts and a few different transfer methods (not to mention a thickening of the lines), we have LIFT-OFF! No, seriously, the copper has been lifted off.

So, what we're left with is what an acne-ridden teenager is likely contending with, and that is pock-marks galore...this is a result of incomplete ink transfer, BUT we'll be just fine. After a few hours of stirring my cauldron (aka the leach bath), some acetone, aaaaand a scotchbrite, we're ready to go.




I'm going to fire up my ghetto ass soldering iron and beat to hell tip...and I'm left with this...



...but it does this!



AWESOME. In other news, I am looking to nearly complete the interior overhaul this weekend. Here's a preview of things to come...we start at 14:00, my fellow AZine comrades!

 

Posts like this are what keep me posting in detail...I really do like hearing of the success of others based upon any info I provide, and I am very happy to ready this...GJ, man!

Oh, RSB is in, pics tomorrow!

 

mods so far all have been executed with precision keep it up. I like where the led board is going.

 

I must say you are very well organized.

 

Anytime man...
It's funny, even with all my experience etc...and having the ideas down in my head...sometimes you're just missing one piece. I now know that I can paint minor stuff myself, with the right prep work and wetsand and polish...it'll look professional!

On another note, talk about organized is right...loving your spreadsheet. I wonder what the one you have for s*x looks like...
1. in .1 second
2. out .2 second
3. in .1 second
4. out .1 second
5. sip of beer 5 seconds
6. squeeze azz 2 seconds
7. in
......................

lol. I'm a jerk. I wish I was that organized man...I'm sure that's why you manage your time so well.
Looks great...

 

I also get alit of satisfaction from others learning from what I post! That's why I try to make diy's that have not been made yet. All I know is that this thread is becoming epic!

 

Oooooh, I'm getting all excited from those LEDs!
Nice job DM!

 

Well, since the morning production meeting is proving particularly useless, might as well utilize the few free minutes I have per day for more entertaining purposes...like an update! This past weekend involved the installation of the progress adjustable RSB, and like anything else, WOW, what a f00king battle. The M8 bolts holding the bushings in position were not anything too bad...the arms, shit, damn, FUCK, what a pain in the asshole. I bought my RSB used with the arms installed in the TRACK position...I wanted STREET...so I did not have 2 arms to remove, I had 4! Yay! So, after beating the living shit out of my hands TRYING to remove the OE bar nuts...I finally whipped out the dremel to make things easy...should have done this sooner.





Getting the arms off of the used progress bar was nothing short of an effort in futility...so I bought the guys at the local shop a box of doughtnuts and let them have at it. IT TOOK THEM 13 MINUTES TO FREE THE NUTS WITH AIRTOOLS. Wow. I am developing a new hatred for salt that extends past cardiovascular reasons.

SO, here's the new bar...the difference is extremely significant, judge for yourself. After winning 'Battle Arms' it was off to 'Battle ES Bushings'. By the grace of god I found my uranium tipped dremel router bit, which essentially DESTROYS any metal, and after about 3 hours of cutting, fitting, adjusting, cursing, lather, rinse, repeating, we had everything installed. I am sure this is an easy job if you're simply using a new RSB and don't have to remove old arms and skip the ES bushings...I, on the other hand, seem to have a penchant for making things difficult. Oh, painted calipers and SS lines to boot.

 

nicely doneeeee. ive read through it, but what is the led board for again? lol sorry

keep it up

 

skills! custom LED board is sweet. RSB is one of the best mods you could do to the TL. keep going man, its coming along nicely!

 

whoa.... your TL is looking good.

 

What did you use to insulate/cover the LEDs when doing your interior conversion?

 

With tomorrow starting the 4/5-day action plan, there's no time to waste...so tonight we're fabbing the switchpanel for my aux items.



I used a portion of the leftover ploycarb from the CCFL project and cut it to size (about 4.5" x 1.5"), leaving me with enough room for 4 switches. Once the panel was test-fit, it was time to make the template! This was done using some projector film, then printed...we them used the dremel and soldering iron to make the holes.

Once this was complete, the coversheets were clearcoated, and portions of the template painted...the coversheet will be exposed only where the labels are end be backlit by an LED for a super-slick effect.



SO, tomorrow I take a half day from work...and would take off Monday AND Tuesday, but my boss returns from international travel and completely fucks up my plans so I will have to bang this out in 3 days. The weather is supposed to be freaking perrrrrrfect, so looks like this lies within the realm of possibility!!!!

 

You're too kind...dunno about epic, but hopefully a lively read for the 'zine!

You're next for one, my man! Let's hope I didn't jump the gun on the LED alignment!!!!

NP, dude...I have the skin of a rhino thanks to working with steel workers my entire professional life, suffice to say I got a good laugh from it.

Perfectly lighting each individual button on the radio. Pay Attention!

Thanks, brother! We've got a ways to go, but getting there!

 

Uhhhh...it varies. There's DIYs for just about all of them.

 

What would you recommend if I was doing LED door handles? I couldn't find how you sealed it all up.

 

 

Thank you

 

Man I love this thread! I feel like Im back in school doing little projects!
DeathMetal you have got me hooked. Im already searching around for some
LED's to mod for my door panels & and all my lights on the dashboard.
Its a time consuming project but it makes such a diff. Props!!

 

DeathMetal, we ought to get you and Jaime (jptl04) together to mod a TL...Wow!



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NOTICE - PLEASE READ

If you have Dom's Unit...or have had experience with Dom's Unit PLEASE CLICK HERE!

Ok, on to the good stuff. Well, after FINALLY completing a fucking GIGANTIC project at work, I decided to comp myself half a day and head home (ironically enough, I also received a call for a Senior level engineering position from a head hunter...not that I'm looking, but still, TITS ). It was straight off to the races to gut the interior and get stepping!







Since we were required to unbolt the shifter base, might as well throw in an STS, right? BTW: SUPER easy mod.



Ahhhh, you know what? People can really suck sometimes. I bought my seats and some other things...shifter base bushings included...from a member...and you know what he did? He sold me seats with a faulty OPDS. He ALSO sold me his base bushings with 7 of the 8, leaving me 1 short. So I used some common hardware to match the 7.42mm or so solid bushing with a close facsimile, which will get the job done, although I'm not thrilled about the matter.



While that was going on, it was time for a makoever of....



...the carpet. I did a little test section and then it was time for a makeover. Although I loathe the fact I had to do this, I only had 5 cans for the job, so I pounded the critical areas only. leaving the areas to be covered by the mats the OE color...hope everyone has a good sense of humor...




Hmmmm...shaping up nicely...






I'm calling it a night for now. Tomorrow is some heavy duty electronic work, some really un-freaking-comfortable positions, and an update of the AP

 

CLEDs on eBay, look for them. Any issues, PM me or ask in here...there are DIYs for all this, don't forget.

Thanks, Steve. I dunno...I think he and I would just kind of wind up sitting around drinking some brews...because I think by the time I am done, we'll have covered almost every mod in the book.

 

The mods are looking good bro!! That's what I need though, is time to mods. I'm so damn busy that I need the weekends to unwind. But you tl is coming along quite superb.

 

Back in to the foray for day #2. It started off as a gloomy and muggy day, but in spite of this, I trudged on. I don't think the vinyl dye is going to hold particularly well as a result, but if it doesn't, I'll spend a day redoing it...next year.

While I was planning on heading in one direction, the threat of rain tomorrow, even at only 50%, leaves me with 100% certainty of not completing this on time if I don't get this in to condition to drive it in to the garage...so we were HAULING ASS to get this ready to move, and here's the result of everything less the driver side.








Now we're on to the last step: WIRING. I am going to be wiring everything up and install my DVD player, so it should be a challenging day, but probably easier then the others as there is only one focal point. Obviously we've a ways to go:



I'd have held off on this, but I needed to remove the nav/radio to install the HON-3 aux audio input for the DVD player, so it's a perfect time to throw the circuit board in. Fits LIKE A FREAKING GLOVE...thank God. This served as a huge victorious morale boost when it was quite low. The VOL and TUNE text is not 100% perfect, but that's the ONLY ONES...so we'll let them slide.

More tomorrow, that wraps up tonight.

 

What did you use to dye the carpet? Also, did you just sand the oem plastic pieces and paint them with regular spray paint? Looking into doing this, but want to make sure I use the correct spray for the carpet.

 

Wow! That's a ton of work! I know how it feels to tackle huge projects seems never ending. But the results are going to be worth it. What dye product are you using SEM?

Led board=sickness, skills. I give you mad props. Keep going!!!

 

Seeing all the interior parts, in pieces, out on the lawn makes me nervous.........




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Just read through the entire thread. In a day that was spent doing nothing, it was refreshing and ironic to read this at midnight. I can't give you enough props for your attention to detail and creativity I hope to be doing a similar thing to my Accord in four or five years after I graduate from university and actually have this novelty people call money.

 

Ok, the carpet is crappy duplicolor flat black...if it quite 'rough' now, but it's freaking carpet. You're going to need 8 - 10 cans for a complete job (I had 5, needed 8 if I was to 100% it)

Ok, the interior panels...originally I used SEM color coat and SEM adhesive prep w/ NO sanding, as it states it's not needed...well...IT FREAKING IS. After a 2-hour cure, eeeeeeverything was flaking off, so I had to sand it all down, go back over it, and repaint with another paint (again, duplicolor as I did not have enough SEM)

Bottom line? SEM is the bomb, and gives and AMAZING finish, but the instructions are wrong. Sand, promote, paint...CURE FOR A FULL DAY. You'll need 2 cans for all the lower panels. I am going to have to go back and redo these next year, I haven't the resolve to care right now.

 

SEM for the panels...I'd have used it for the carpet, but we'd have been talking a price of $100+ vs. $35...SEM is really is as good as every says it is. Yes, this does feel never ending, but I think I should be done everything tonight...

Not the first time I've done this to a car, so it doesn't make me nervous. The only thing that makes me nervous any more is time vs. progress, once you've done it you'll learn to love your lawn like a garage (albeit only for short periods of time, otherwise you run the risk of looking the redneck)


Thanks, dude. Start with LEDs...you can convert your entire car for under $30, all you have to deal with is time. Very low investment, VERY high return.

 

wow man.. i love this thread because there is always something going on haha.. Motivating me to work on my car on the street since I have no more garage for now.. lol ..does the SEM stuff leave the carpet feeling rough at spots? I remember using stuff like that before and it left spots really rough.. is the carpet still soft?

 

Any chance you would send the template for your PCB board This is something I will be doing down the road too and I am more then familiar with etching boards. If you want I could send a few $ I know you put all the work in looks great though! Let me know Youngro8@msu.edu if your felling generous

 

Day 3. The weather is profoundly shitty today, with humidity through the roof and on/off rain making this absolutely miserable to work in, even if garaged. Today was wiring, Wiring, WIRING. So the following is now good to go, all with a custom switchpanel:

i. DVD player video through Dom's unit
ii. Audio 3-way (XM, 3.5mm Jack for Droid, DVD Player)
iii. Footwell lighting
iv. KILLSWITCH (aka HID reverse trigger)

Most of the day was consumed by custom fabbing the center console pockets for the DVD Player and the switch panel. A HUGE SHOUT OUT TO ROCKYFELLER FOR MAKING THIS POSSIBLE. Not only did he answer my questions, he did so with an extremely high level of detail, giving me the confidence to do this. I cannot thank him enough for the guidance.

Some shots of the install





The switch panels LOOKS LIKE SHIT...so I need to redo this next week. Seriously, I am so freaking displeased with how it turned out...grrrrrr

That's all for today...hopefully tomorrow I can troubleshoot a technical gremlin and post the final pic set up from this weekend.

 

The carpet is as soft as 220-grit sandpaper...I swear I have severe first degree burns on my elbows as of this point in time from working under the driver seat...BUUUUT, I love the look

Yeah, for a few $$$ we may be able to work something out. Bear in mind, this is somewhat proprietary, and I am somewhat concerned someone may steal it (although unlikely), shoot me a PM

 

Very good work as usual man.
Imagine if you gave yourself adequate time, you'd be a beast! Not that you're not, but you tackle a lot in a small amount of time and seem frustrated with the results a lot of time.

Either that, or you're a perfectionist. Lol..
PS...how's the RSB? Worth it? How does it drive set at "street", have you tried track or after the mission with the bolts you probably don't want to touch it, huh?

 

It's an unhealthy combination of inadequate free time and ridiculously high standards... I work way too much.

Absolutely worth it...nearly shit my pants and bunny hopped a certain curve since all 4 wheels were in contact with the asphalt...DO IT!!! Street? Fuhgeddaboutit. I have read too many tales of broken mounting plates to play with that fire.

 

wow..you are on one big mission..acurazine this man cant be stopped..good work

 

Can only see your pics when I'm at home, so I don't get updated as often as most people here. Just caught up on the last two pages. Absolutely awesome!

 

the Led circuit board is awsome. I am so glad that they type-s is all red which was one less thing for me to do. Keep up the hard work. I know how it is to tackle a big project but take your time and do it right. Troubleshooting is more work and more than like the reason why people quit on projects.

 

Dang, you're making me want to. So wait, you left it on Street then, not TRACK, right? Track is too stiff and you can crack the plates is what you're saying!?

Anyway, like I said you're amazing, just wait till you retire and you have a project car that you can spend ALL your time on.

J.