2008 RL A-Spec Tech with CMBS

I picked it up a few weeks ago and haven't had much time to do anything but drive to and from work.

BUT, today I got a chance to do something so I dug in.

Here are some pic's of the car as it was before I started changing things.

 

Like I said, today I got to do some stuff to it.

Some background info: While going through school I worked at a few audio shops and run a small business out of my garage now that keeps me busy outside of business hours. So naturally I'm a bit of a hobbyist when it comes to audio in general.

This is just the start but here's what I did tonight. From beginning to end.






I made sure to clean the door completely before putting any of the dampening material on. This includes the black sticky putty that holds the factory moisture barrier on, and that stuff is a bitch to get off. Isopropyl was the secret there along with a wide panel tool.





I even made sure to get the outer panel as well. This will hopefully kill more road noise and reverberation from the speakers.




I held off from going right around the speakers because I don't plan on having those speakers much longer, so when I do replace I can make sure there is a good clean layer of sound deadening around it.

And the door panels went back on without any trouble. These doors are actually surprisingly easy to take off.

I only did the front 2 doors because I ran out of the matting for the rear doors. I plan on getting more and doing as many of the surfaces in the car as possible, I will be gutting it at one point.

 

Very nice car.

 

Agreed.^

Should have used MLVB instead of CLD tiles though.

 

Why do you say that?

 

It's just the wrong tool for the application. A constrained layer dampener such as the one you used turns vibrations into heat. It dampens vibrating panels. In addition, you only need to cover 1/4 of the surface of a panel to adequately dampen vibrations. Unless you plan on putting a subwoofer in your door panel, vibrations are not the primary cause of noise that you want to block.

A mass loaded vinyl barrier is a sound barrier. Sound cannot penetrate the material. Thus, you use it to cover entire surfaces of floor and door panels to block exterior noise penetrating the vehicle.

What you have done will reduce noise (and certainly vibration), but it will not block noise the way a MLVB would.


On a different note, are those emblems gold? Any plans to change them?

 

Interesting, I can't say I knew that. I know about the 40% coverage but I figured hell may as well do it all if I'm going to. I'll have to look into some MLVB products for the floor.

Yes gold emblems, yes I plan to change.

 

Seriously. Gold emblems? Who does that?

Might wanna think about getting the snow tires off the car too. They're great for winter traction but not so great in the warm summer weather. Plus, you'll burn through them pretty quickly driving them all year round.

 

I see you have the RL wood knob. That's a rare accessory these days. What about the steering wheel? Is the suspension ASpec?

Silver Fox was LSM, and I would have loved to put a lip on it. The car looks great.

 

Yea gold emblems haha.

I only got the car 2 weeks ago and winter is only a month away so although I know I shouldn't be driving on those tires I'm going to until spring when I can get new wheels and a good set of summers.

Yea at first I wasn't into the wooden knob but I've definitely come to appreciate it, and yes it has the wooden steering wheel as well. And yes it has the ASpec suspension, it is the ASpec model after all.

I didn't just happen to luckily come across one that has everything, I've been searching for this exact car for probably a good year and a half. I'll admit I was hoping to find it in white, but not getting the exact exterior colour I wanted is a small sacrifice I think.

 

Actually that reminds me. For the rear emblem, when switching it out for the Honda one what is the part #? I'm only finding the Legend badge out there so I'm guessing it's just a regular Honda badge, but I want to know before I go buy one.

 

Congrats, enjoy.

 

For everyone that's been complaining about my gold badges, you'll be happy to know there is a silver Legend badge and H on it's way.

 

You guys feel better now?





Decided not to take of the (A) until my (H) shows up.

 

"colour" and winter in Sept.

Silly s.

 

My badge collection

 

I'll take those gold emblems off your hands!!

 

Why? They don't have any of the 3M tape on the back anymore and are worn and weathered...
If you want the gold emblems buy them HERE

 

hehe gold emblems were as big as the whole chrome accent in the 90's. They wouldnt look as bad if there more gold accent. Good job on the removal. You're car looks good and you lucked out. It seems like we have the same taste. I wanted a white one also and when I bought mine about a year and a half ago, I found a fully loaded one in Vancouver that I was flying out to look at. had 70km and it was at a honda dealer. The day before I was to fly out it sold. The dealer was holding it for me but a junior sold it to an old lady. I was pissed and had to settle for the one I got locally.

Car looks good

 

Nice, congrats. I think the trunk actually looks better without the badges, something I plan on doing down the road.

 

Car looks good, congrats. I never put my winter tires before December or atleast 2nd half of November here in MTL. You've got a good 3 months before needing those. One thing I can tell you, once you drive the RL in snow, you'll wish it snowed the whole year.

 

Thanks! Yea it's a tough one to get that's for sure. That really sucks about a rookie sales guy selling it on you, I can't imagine how pissed I would have been.

 

Yea I do like the debadged look, gives the car a bit of a mysterious vibe to it because you don't see them everywhere. However, I can't wait to get that Legend badge on there.

I can't wait for this winter, so excited to drive around an AWD car in the snow!

 

So I know you guys were giving me a hard time about having winter tires already and I said I didn't want to change them because the weather is going to turn to shit soon.

Well soon has come, sorry for the shitty (really shitty) blackberry photo's, I was kinda busy driving. BTW this is my drive to work today, glad I kept the winters on.





Calgary weather is just the worst

 

Not to much new really, cleaned it and met up with a buddy for a shoot.

... Something seems to be wrong with the new image tool...


Here's some links

https://i.imgur.com/9GltAcR.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/5JTPJPi.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/7WUiZ5K.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/i8zeiaS.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/Pabyzs4.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/gHE0Xnp.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/R4ZehCf.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/F9RuMYV.jpg

My buddies bimmer
https://i.imgur.com/kIHWGFb.jpg

 

Blackberry? But you're only 24 years old?

 

 

Yup! A Blackberry haha. I won't lie I use it by default because I had a spare kicking around when my previous phone broke and I love the way it organizes everything but it's so closed off to the rest of the app world that it only does a couple of things well.

Samsung or some other Android platform will be next

 

I never noticed the colour on the wheels until now.... Also noticed you picked them up that way... Happen to know what colour that is? Looks good!

 

Thanks!

It's like a gun metal colour but I think technically it's the ebony black style. The options that came from the factory were the ebony and chrome, I've had both on my CL and the chrome ones I liked more because it was a dark sort of chrome.

 

Very nicely done.

 

Thanks!

I haven't done much yet but thanks anyways.

 

very nice ride. I'm down here in New Brunswick its starting to get really cold but dayyum no snow yet, thats wild

 

It's them Alberta people I tell you j/k Montreal born and raised, so I hope can still make the Canuck jokes

 

 

Yeah Alberta, especially Calgary is known for some really crazy weather fluctuations. 2 days after that snow it was back to +20C. It's getting pretty chilly here the past few days though, had more snow a couple days ago.

Also, last night I hit a speed bump to fast and the passenger side of my front bumper popped out. No damage to the bumper but my window washer fluid reservoir no longer holds any fluid. I'm not sure if it's broken or if something just popped off. I'm going to look into it over the weekend and see if I can fix it or if things need to be replaced.

Thank jebus the bumper is ok, I would have called in a hit and run if it was damaged at all.

 

There should be a screw that holds the corner to the wheel well. I can't imagine how it popped out if that screw is there.

Fixed your photos post. Use "[img]" before the url and "[/img]" after.
Not digging the yellow fog lenses. It would look much better IMO if you used PIAA Xtreme Yellow or HID 3000k bulbs and clear lenses.

 

^Thanks!

I had some time this weekend and I pulled it apart and fixed it.

I like the yellow fogs, adds the the JDM feeling of the car. I plan on putting some 3000K HID's in anyways, and the drivers side lens is cracked so it's going to have to be replaced regardless. When I replace it I'll get the chance to decide if I want to do it yellow or not.

 

Definitely not hating on yellow fogs. I understand the purpose 100%. I just prefer yellow bulbs and clear glass/plastic. Same reason people dig the JDM headlight corners. That's all.

 

nice looking car, i'm looking to powdercoat my a spec wheels a similar gunmetal color as well, and then i should put on my a spec kit as well