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I picked up my 05 6MT on April 15, 2016 and have done a few mods so far in the recent weeks. When I first got it, the previous owner had dipped the factory wheels matte black and lowered on Comptech springs.
Current Mods:
-Comptech springs on Genuine Acura OEM struts
-matte Black dipped wheels
-A spec lip kit
-Inspire smoked fog lights
-H.I.C side window visors
-Depo smoked side markers
-rear window lip
-rear deck lip
-navigation hack
So I woke up this morning a bit hungover but still was able to pull energy together to blackout headlights and remove amber lens. All in all, it took me about 4 hours to do the whole process. I used low-gloss engine paint from Advance Auto Parts and off the shelf clear silicone, hopefully it'll be enough to prevent condensation. After installation I finished off with Turtle Wax Headlight Restoration Kit.
Unfortunately I couldn't snap any pics of the process because my hands were full of dirt and silicone. I wish I was able to clamp the headlight housing and lens tighter because after installation the lights now stick out about 1mm further than factory.
I originally wanted to add the clear diffusers and ZKW-R lenses but at the moment I really want the amber lens out of the headlights. Will revisit this project again.
This morning got up early before work and decided I want to remove the lettering off the trunk lid before I install new tails. Took a heat gun to them on low temp for about 1-2 minutes and they peeled off easily. A lot of rubbing alcohol and elbow grease later and the adhesive backings were off the trunk lid too. The whole process took about 10 minutes and I think the rear has a much cleaner overall look now.
I originally wanted the Depo smoked tails but I found a really good deal on replica type-s style tails that I couldn't pass up. The brand for these lights is Eagle Eyes Auto Lamp, made in Taiwan, but they have real good build quality and fitment surprisingly.
The process took roughly 1 hour. It required removing enough screws/bolts on each side to drop the rear bumper just enough to reach the brackets attached to each tail light. Unfortunately during the process I stripped the screw holding the bumper bracket attached to the right tail so I decided to leave that off.
The most difficult part was transferring the LED boards over but once that was figured out the other side was a breeze.
I'm either going to get the Depo smoked tails (pictured below) if they ever go on sale, or I'm going to wrap these tails with a light smoke vinyl so they match the smoked side markers better.
When I bought the car 2 months ago, it ONLY had dipped wheels and comptech springs.
Since then I've added...
-A spec lip kit
-Inspire smoked fog lights
-H.I.C side window visors
-Depo smoked side markers
-rear window lip
-rear deck lip
-navigation hack
-blacked out headlights & removed amber
-debadged rear
-replica Type-S tail lights
future goals:
-coilovers
-ZKW-R lenses & clear diffusers
-customize the tails by adding the clear middle from base 07/08, carbon fiber wrapping the bottom lens, and wrapping exterior lens in light smoke vinyl
-H.I.C rear window visor V2
-07/08 side view mirrors and smoking the LED on it
-plastidip grill
-window tint
-and more
Last edited by Steven Bell; 06-13-2016 at 09:48 PM.
Reason: Merged Posts
Did not like the off yellow halogen color of my current Inspire bulbs so I replaced them with a set of Hella Optilux Extreme Yellow XY Bulbs. I have gone through so many 3000k HID bulbs hoping to get a true yellow and have finally found something that gives that true yellow glow like the IS300 fogs. The yellow may be off a bit because the lens on my Inspires are smoked but when testing before fitment, they were extremely yellow.
While I was at it, I changed to generic 6000k D2S bulbs as well. Will update later tonight with a photo after dark.
Last edited by peewizzle; 06-17-2016 at 03:11 PM.
Reason: words
Here are some photos I took last night to try to capture how hyper yellow these fog bulbs are. I really want to replace the yucky off-yellow signal bulb in there now with an LED switchback bulb, but I need to research more about installing load resistors and such; never dealt with them before.
My sister isn't using her set of white 17x9 +22 RPF1 so I decided to test fit one on the front.
Yeesh a +22 BARELY clears the Brembos. I would estimate there was possibly 1-2mm of clearance, if that, and I wouldn't feel safe driving with that little of space. Too bad because these wheels are wicked light.
man thats weird, my 18x9 +45 advans look like they'll have a bit of clearance for when I do my RL calipers. If anything a little spacer will be required. Must be the design and concavity of the wheel cuz +22 should clear
Also, you know you can put yellow lamin-x film over your fog lenses to give it more of a yellow look.
Lamin-x the lens, then use either a 3000k HID bulb or a pure white bulb like a 6000k. My buddy has that for his set up yellow lens with a 6000k bulb and its got a hyper yellow look
man thats weird, my 18x9 +45 advans look like they'll have a bit of clearance for when I do my RL calipers. If anything a little spacer will be required. Must be the design and concavity of the wheel cuz +22 should clear
Also, you know you can put yellow lamin-x film over your fog lenses to give it more of a yellow look.
Lamin-x the lens, then use either a 3000k HID bulb or a pure white bulb like a 6000k. My buddy has that for his set up yellow lens with a 6000k bulb and its got a hyper yellow look
It's weird I was thinking +22 would be more than enough for clearance but I guess it's all about design as well too bad, I liked the RPF1 on my car. What I want to replace as soon as I can is the yucky off-yellow 7443 turn signal bulb with a switchback LED.
I have done the lamin-x film in the past and though putting it in front of a white HID bulb is nice, I like to keep my fogs non-filmed because I like the way my smoked lenses match my blacked out headlights. Plus these bulbs are actually quite yellow, I'm very happy with them for now.
I think the clear diffusers look better as well in a blacked out headlight, but I can't find any for less than $120 so that's going on the future list of to-do. At least the ZKW-R from Retrofit Source are only $40 a pair so that's a good cheap upgrade for the future.
Unexpected expenses arose so unfortunately I couldn't order the wheels I was planning to get and tires, so instead I've settled on ordering some spacers to put under the stockies.
I got them for a great deal on eBay and the seller indicated they were made from 6061-T aluminum and grade 8 steel studs. I've placed 15mm on the front and 20mm on the rear and so far I'm loving the stance.
Here are the spacers out of the package.
Below are some comparison shots, sorry I couldn't get exact same angles. All the no spacer pics were taken around noon and the with spacer pics were taken about 7PM, lots of lighting difference sorry. << no spacers
<< with spacers
<< no spacers
<< with spacers
<< no spacers
<< with spacers
Also, does anyone else with Satin Silver Metallic notice that their front/rear bumpers/A-spec lips don't match in some lights? There are all oem painted parts and it's weird that in some angles/lighting you can see the bumpers not matching.
Love my spacers....much better stance and aggressive look.
what size spacers are you running and also how do you like the H & R setup?
I kind of wish I went 20mm front and 25mm rear for a little but more poke but oh well. I really wish the Comptechs I have on at the moment lowered another 1" in front and 0.5" rear, right now the front has gap and rear is flush and it irks me so much.
So yesterday at work I got a message from a buddy who told me he found a great deal on wheels. I told him that I'm not buying anything for awhile but he said I can't pass up this deal. Well after checking out the Craigslist ad I saw that yeah, it was a pretty damn good deal.
A guy 1.5 hours from me sold his 3G and needed to get rid of his new 18x8 black Avid.1 AV-06 +35mm wheels with 3 Pirelli P6 and 1 Hankook Ventus tire, size 245/40/18. His asking price was $300. I'm like WHOA what?? I thought it was a scam but after contacting, the guy was the real deal Holyfield. The tires look brand new with I'd guess 90% tread left on all of them. It was a full set of Pirelli but he ran over a nail in the wheel with the now Hankook.
Here's where it get's better...since he does not have the TL anymore, he gave me a second set of NEW Hankook Ventus 215/45/18 for free!! They even still have the original sticker adhered to them! So for $300 I got a new set of wheels with practically new tires on them & a second set of new never been mounted tires.
I'm wicked tight on cash at the moment but I couldn't pass this up so I had to dip into my savings and take the temporary hit.
I've only driving maybe 25 miles so far on them but the tires are comfortable but sporty. Though the offsets are +35mm, I have 15mm spacers on the front to clear the Brembos and 20mm on the rear. The downside, although I am only lowered maybe 1" with the Comptech springs, my rear fenders rub with the 245/40/18 currently mounted. I'm debating if I should mount the 215/45/18 Hankooks or not as I do like the meaty sidewall on these right now.
WHOA!! Thats a steal if I've ever heard of one lol.
yea with that setup with spacers you can't go low at all, unless you get your fenders rolled.
I have 18x9 +45 with 235/40 and I'm at 24.5'' ground to fender with no spacers and I dont think I could even fit a 5mm spacer on the front or back without the tires getting hacked to shit.
nice pick up! sell your rear 20mm spacer and buy a 15mm spacer and you'll be good to go. or roll your rear fenders. do not run 215, you'll lose driving comfort and wheel protection! stay with 245
WHOA!! Thats a steal if I've ever heard of one lol.
yea with that setup with spacers you can't go low at all, unless you get your fenders rolled.
I have 18x9 +45 with 235/40 and I'm at 24.5'' ground to fender with no spacers and I dont think I could even fit a 5mm spacer on the front or back without the tires getting hacked to shit.
I still cannot believe this deal either
I'm very fearful of rolling the rears myself since on my 2G, they ended up rusting on the edges, dang New England weather. As it sits right now, my rear is 25.5" and the tire edge has already shredded a bit from my 25 mile drive to work.
Here is the original photo from the Craigslist ad, they are mint and have so much tread left I thought surely this ad can't be real...
nice pick up! sell your rear 20mm spacer and buy a 15mm spacer and you'll be good to go. or roll your rear fenders. do not run 215, you'll lose driving comfort and wheel protection! stay with 245
I do like the rear poke at the moment so I'll probably leave the 20mm on the rear...I'm gonna call up a few buddies with a roller after work today and see if they can hook me up.
I'm hoping this luck keeps rolling and I'll be able to score a killer deal on coilovers somewhere, I would like to lower the front 1" to match the rear better.
If you mount the 215s you should be fine. That's what I run. I have a lower offset than your setup with spacers and I just needed to trim the lip on the rear fender and the bumper tab up front. But 215 on yours should be mint without any rubbing and I don't think you'll need fender work. At most a roll and you'll be good at any drop. But you would need quite a bit of work to run the 245s and decide to go lower.
215/45 on 9 inch wide wheel
If you mount the 215s you should be fine. That's what I run. I have a lower offset than your setup with spacers and I just needed to trim the lip on the rear fender and the bumper tab up front. But 215 on yours should be mint without any rubbing and I don't think you'll need fender work. At most a roll and you'll be good at any drop. But you would need quite a bit of work to run the 245s and decide to go lower.
215/45 on 9 inch wide wheel
Last edited by Steven Bell; 07-04-2016 at 05:12 PM.
Reason: Merged Posts
Here is a photo of the new unmounted tires I got with that deal. 215/45/18 Hankook Ventus V2 Concept, if anyone has had any experience with these specific tires please chime in let me know before I decide to mount.
If you mount the 215s you should be fine. That's what I run. I have a lower offset than your setup with spacers and I just needed to trim the lip on the rear fender and the bumper tab up front. But 215 on yours should be mint without any rubbing and I don't think you'll need fender work. At most a roll and you'll be good at any drop. But you would need quite a bit of work to run the 245s and decide to go lower.
215/45 on 9 inch wide wheel
After driving for 50+ miles now, I think I much rather have the 215/45 mounted on the wheels...unfortunately, I stripped ONE open ended lug nut on the front right so now I can't do anything until I can somehow get that off never had to deal with a stripped open end nut before so not sure how or when I'll be able to get that off.
I like the beefy tire. Go with a thinner spacer and pick up some SPC upper arms to pull the top of the wheel in a little for clearance!!!
That is one hell of a deal. You do come across those once in awhile!!! I found myself some brand new winter tires with aftermarket wheels for $150!!! Also snagged some 18x8.5 Aspecs with a little curbage for $180 for all 4!!!!!!!!!
05-31-2016, 08:45 PM
never had to deal with a stripped open end nut before so not sure how or when I'll be able to get that off.