Arkmage

iTrader: (3)

how much does the new hood weigh?

Vashthestampede

iTrader: (17)

I didn't weigh it, but about half the FM hood did. Maybe...8lbs if I had to guess.

Vash-

93inNM

AWESOME, GEORGEOUS HOOD!!!! All of what you are doing is just GREAT!!!

Vashthestampede

iTrader: (17)

I cant believe I was able to get from the downpipe all the way to the exhaust tips out from under the car. I was using my right hand to do the wrench work and my feet to hold the exhaust. Got everything out in about 30 mins! I think I do better with one hand than two....lol.

Put the hood on ebay tonight. The FM exhaust goes on tomorrow so I can get my hands on the Enthuza duals. Found a crack at the top of my downpipe! Took out my radiator fan, motor is shot, I think I'm going to try something different than OEM this time.

Projects for this week include:

1. Finishing painting the engine bay and put everything back correctly!
2. Install the AAC headlights if they come this week.... :(
3. Try my fiberglass skills on the rear bumper 1st.
4. Then try my fiberglass skills on the front bumper.
5. Brake job on rear brakes
6. Decide on new wheels and tires. Probably OZ superleggeras in black

Things are going smooth so far. I hope to be looking good and running again by mid-end of May. I think I might bring the convertible top to a shop. I don't think I want to try and put it on with my feet.

Vash-

mike_671

iTrader: (4)

Looks great so far. Good luck with the fiberglass

JDMAflac

iTrader: (1)

Love it so far, you have pretty much everything i want. Big kudos to you for doing everything one handed, patience is key.

Chiburbian

iTrader: (1)

Looks wonderful. I'd love to see another angle of the car with that hood on. Is anyone still making the dual headlight popups or are you going another route?

Not a big fan of the flat black engine bay though - but that is an aesthetic/cultural thing. Old Chryslers (where I come from) painted the engine bay body color. When you saw an (Mopar) engine bay painted black it was usually a signal that the owner might be trying to cover up something or was a crossover from another make who might not know better. Like I said - cultural

To me though, body colored engine bays show craftsmanship. They are though hard as heck to maintain!

Vashthestampede

iTrader: (17)

Thanks guys! Yea the fiberglass should be fun. Our shop is nextdoor to a bodyshop, so I've watched them fiberglass many a times.....just never tried myself. I'm trying to save money this time around, and learn a little bit more as well.

The doctor told me to sit tight and relax it, then that I could gradually use it through physical therapy. I want to be able to drive the car sooner than later, so I need to keep on it. And that's exactly what it is, patience.

The flat black is something I have always wanted to do. I originally asked the bodyshop guys to do it 4 years ago. I just feel it will visually clean up the engine bay and not look as sloppy as it always has.

I will take more pictures once the headlights are here and I get them in.

Vash-

devin mac

iTrader: (2)

is there info on this upgrade somewhere? i couldn't find anything about it. (is the 19 a typo? )

hustler

iTrader: (6)

why did you change hoods?

cjernigan

iTrader: (13)

He didn't like the FM hood because it leaked water in places he didn't want water leaked.

The 19g/t wheel swap is just a compressor swap, he is basically throwing on a bigger wheel capable of more power.

devin mac

iTrader: (2)

well, i figured that, but i couldn't readily find any info on the swap itself and i've never actually heard of a 19g. was wondering if anyone could point me at any info about it. :-)

i.e. is it just a wheel swap, or the housing + wheel?

liv4psi

The flat black looks so much better. Good work

devin mac

iTrader: (2)

in any case, looks like it's going really well. I can't believe you're doing all that with the use of only one hand... i barely get **** done with two... lol

chriscar

iTrader: (24)

Glad to hear the hood fit well. I'm waiting to put mine on until after I get the front bumper repainted, to get rid of the silver stripe.

C

Vashthestampede

iTrader: (17)

Yea that hood served its time, and I finally realized the vent locations make it not the best choice for a daily driver. I put a reserve of $400 on ebay and figured, if I don't get that....**** it I'll have two hoods to choose from. lol I listed it at 10pm lastnight and this morning it had 1 bid and my reserve was met! I need money to keep going steady on my progress, but I'm not tryin to give the good stuff away. And I think it was time for a change in the look of the car. I've been rocking the blue body and black headlights look long enough now.

Yea I'm planning on swapping to the 19g, not a typo. I am also looking into a p&p on the turbo and a compressor housing polish. I was thinking about a whole new turbo/manifold/downpipe, seeing its all out of the car. But I like how the car performed at 8 psi with the half assed setup I had. So now if I do some things different and upgrade a bit, I think I'll be more than satisfied.

Thanks alot for the comments guys! I try to not take any pain killers for my wrist when I'm out there working. But when it starts to hurt real bad I have to take one or I wouldn't get as much done! This afternoons project is cleaning up the FM exhaust and getting that on ebay.

Vash-

Vashthestampede

iTrader: (17)

Your going to want to have sex with the car when you put the hood on....I'm not lying man.

Vash-

Vashthestampede

iTrader: (17)

Having the right tools and having full sets really do matter. Couldn't find a 10mm wrench tonight and lost about 30 minutes looking for it, and using lock pliers in its place.

Got the back of the car apart. Cleaned up and rough sanded the spot in the rear bumper. I never used fiberglass before, but I just went for it, I figured it really cant be that hard. I got 4 layers on the front, and 4 layers on the back. Its already just about rock hard. Tomorrow I'm going to sand it and get me some filler to finish it up with. I will get this bumper completely done, and ask my bodyshop guy how I did. Hopefully good enough that he can just paint it and I can save some money.

I also found I really need to clean up under the bumpers. I sprayed all the rust with converter. Hopefully I can paint it tomorrow. I'm just happy I got to fiberglass the bumper tonight!

Vash-

Dlaitini

most likely you will start sanding into the fibers on the outer part of the bumper, once you finish sanding it you might want to wipe all the dust off and put a light coat of resin over it to make any fiber that break free to bond again

after that hardens you can do the final sanding on it

with the 4 layers on the back should stiffen it up enough plus what ever you have filling the damaged area

Vashthestampede

iTrader: (17)

Thanks for the advice man! I'm gonna try and finish it up this afternoon and bring it to the bodyshop tomorrow for paint. I hope....

Vash-