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Cool, what rims / style are you going for? If you couldn't tell already, I really wanted the Caldina ones but they aren't cheap or easy to get a hold of and I just spent over $600 on the 7th gen wheels and new tyres, so those plans are now on hold

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I've been trying!!! There have been multiple people on CCUK (respected contributors I might add) that have been promising the world and then just stop replying to my messages when I want to quote postage and pay them. I actually have a feeling my PM must have to be broken, but who know

And don't talk too fast... Mine is many different shades of silver... Just look at the bumper join in the first pic Also, my paint has been sun damaged and it has escalated from a small patch on the roof last year to now covering the roof, with small patches around the glass on the boot and at the top of the bonnet. This is to go with the many small marks and scratches already on the car when I bought it too i was ready to have the roof resprayed, but i dont think i can justify the cost of a full respray (especially not to get silver again ) At lest it looks good in the pictures

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Thanks Cheela

Have been trying to organize some euro GT front splitters and front grill for some time now from CCUK members... I have all the money and they have all the parts available; I'm just waiting for them to reply to me

I am going to color code them to the car when I eventually get them, which should add another subtle touch of class without the risk of smashing up any big splitters

Ccuk and respected in the same sentence? That'll be the day haha

I see what you mean now about the bumper join, At least with your car you can see that it's mostly the same shade of silver, take a look at the side of mine you'll notice a huge difference hence my comment lol

I can't help but thinking if you go for the euro front splitters it's going to look a bit unbalanced as in my opinion they aren't anywhere near as deep as the TRD's for example so it may look like there's something missing perhaps?

As for CCUK as you know there's a fair bit of bad blood there between me and them (I'm too bluntly honest haha) and don't get me wrong there's a lot of good members on there but sadly from my respective there's a lot of arse clowns too which ruin it.

Anyways will be watching this closely :-)

Looking really good man

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I want to get these: Rims


This post has been edited by rentaspace: May 4, 2013 - 1:14 AM

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Yes, I have noticed your door colour in particular is not quite the same... at all

I know what you mean, but I haven't seen any pics of the TRD spats on a facelift front that I like... and it will make it even more obvious that I have OEM skirts... which I am not changing Perhaps a better option would be the SSIII front splitters... but I was never really convinced with those on my car (Unless lowered + spoiler... then I like them ). In any case, the euro GT front splitters will make it look less unbalanced than it is at the moment... so it is a good start

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Thanks, means a lot from you!

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Ahh okay, not my style but I can see why others would like them... and we have already established that we have different tastes (On that note I was reading Whatthe's thread again and like the 2 post again now ). I do have the feeling that it will look a little truckin' with that sort of spoke design on stock suspension though... Should do a photoshop


On that note... Look what appeared on my OzCelica page from another member...



... it's not happening though I don't want a slammed car, and I think it looks a bit silly

That's not slammed lol. That's the kind of tuck I have going right now. With the right wheels, that sits perfect.

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Looks nice, but for my area would be extremely impractical... My front is too low as it is for some places around my area

I'm still not sure about rims and stuff atm... Ill have to go down to the shop and ask for them next to the car... Maybe Ill go onto the photoshop thread and request it to be shopped and lowered.. (I used to be able to do all that on photoshop, but year12 last year forced me to forget to fit stupid physics equations in )

I'm still waiting to be accepted on OZCelica

This post has been edited by rentaspace: May 4, 2013 - 11:17 PM

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Haha, but it's just not what I'm looking for

In other news, I had my head under the rear bumper the other night measuring up the threads under the bumper, and there was some spider webs that had been built down to the ground from the rear bumper... whatever, just a spider, so i stuck my head under anyway.... then I looked up and saw this...



I was outta there (For those of you that don't know, that is a redback spider; one of the most dangerous spiders in Australia - and is related to the Black-Widow spider Redback Spider Wiki)

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Red Backs have trouble piercing the skin, chances are it wouldn't hurt you. But, with that being said, if it bit you on the face area then you may have some troubles
We get plenty of red backs around here, and also the Sydney Female Funnel Web (For those that don't know this is the DEADLIEST spider in the world) but again, when they bite there is only like a 40% chance that they actually inject any venom... Neither spider has killed anyone since the antivenoms have been released

Also, speaking of random crap we find in the car... My dad looked under the engine protection plastic this morning (to determine where this rattling was coming from) and we found a completely rusted and starting to melt lighter... Which was also full of gas We don't even know how it got there

hahahah OMG! that's horrible. I had something similar although not as scary happen to me too. Was driving in my girlfriends car going in a roundabout and all the sudden something crawls across my windshield on the inside. was a huge spider! hahahaha made the turn while smushing the spider.

Love the stock oem look! Considering its so clean it doesn't look bad on stock monster truck suspension

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Haha, thanks man.... I think

Nah, I have spent most of my total thread time here and on OzCelica saying no to lowering, but I think I am finally starting to come around

I would only want the drop of some basic springs, but I may end up looking out some coil overs that can be raised up near stock height again when towing the boat. That's not cheap though, so it won't be happening before I get back from overseas next year.

I have been doing a bit on the car part front... All of the JDM's I have been far to busy with assignments and exams, but I will be fitting said items shortly and pics will follow!

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That's not slammed. Its about right. My car is probably about the same heigh. Lol. Rides just perfect. Can clear them drive ways and speed bumps perfectly.

So it has been a little while since I have updated this... I have been really busy with university assignments and exams - but they finished for the Semester a few days ago

A reasonable amount has happened with my Celica in this time... Not all good though

Coolant System

As some of you would have seen on the 'Today I...' thread, one day on the way home I had parked on the side of the road with the engine running for about 10 minutes when I made some phone calls. When I merged back on I looked down and saw my temperature gauge soaring into the red :'(



I pulled over and let it cool off and hobbled home. I initially thought it was an electrical problem with the fans, until after some help from some other on here we discovered that's just how the fans roll I had lost about 1.2 litres of coolant.

Eventually with Dad's help we found the leak (not forgetting that all of this happened on the first day of exam period!) - the heater hose on the control module on the firewall. After hobbling around for another week with no aircon and being super gentle with it we investigated the offending hose further. We were expecting a cracked plastic heater control, but it was in fact just a swollen pipe. Temporary fix was just some pipe sealant and a new adjustable hose clamp until I order the new pipes. Haven't had any troubles since





At the same time I did a full flush of the coolant system; which I had been planning to do soon anyway. Unfortunately I had to redo this the next morning as when I was filling the system I noticed that it was full after only adding about 3L of coolant (out of approx. 6.5L system) - coming to the conclusion that half if the fluids were staying in the engine rather than draining since both radiator hoses were positioned near the top of the engine block. I had done two full flushes with water after the cleaning agent, but that wasn't enough if only 50% was being drained each time - so 2 coolant changes in <24 hours

*End Saga* It has been behaving very nicely ever since

JDM Side Visors

Now to the other saga At the start of June I bought a set of JDM side visors from Japan on eBay from seller jdm_used_parts - mainly so that on frosty mornings I could use the wiper bottles without the water wicking into the cabin for the next 5 minutes However, when they arrived via EMS express there were a few problems (again, occurring in the middle of exams taking up very valuable time and energy -.-). First of all, I noticed that there were no ends of the box - just tape with a tiny bit of the visors bulging through each end. After unwrapping it I discovered a chip missing out of the end of the visor where it had been poking through. Frustrating, but I probably would have just dealt with it. However, upon further inspection there were a few other scuff marks and scratches and a couple of tiny chips that were not mentioned when I specifically asked about these before the sale. Also, the location of the largest scuff mark was over the Toyota badge which showed the item I received was not the one pictured (as the seller claimed).

The real kicker was when I took them outside though.... THEY AREN'T EVEN 6GC!!! My guess is that they are the cheaper 7th Gen ones, as the curves are much sharper, and the mounting points are different. My doors wouldn't even open with these on.

I contacted the seller immediately, who promptly replied that none of the damage was there before (BS - impossible), the images were the same as the pictures (yet he has listed another set with the same pictures which also claims you will receive the items in the pictures... A bit difficult if you were to believe his claim that they were the ones in my living room), they were definitely 100% for a st202 and that any and all damage from mint condition (not his words, but it was inferred) was damage caused in transit (again, complete BS). His closing sentiment was that he was not doing anything until I lodged a damage in transit report with the local postal service, which I have since done, but I disagree with since it was obviously damaged caused before postage, and during postage due to unsuitable packaging - neither of which are covered under the policy. So in my mind I have been forced to attempt insurance fraud

So now 3 weeks after shelling out my cash and paying for express shipping I have no visors and not even an ETA. I'm not worried because I am so obviously in the right for a PayPal refund, it is just how much drama the seller is going to cause in the interim.







Japan Order

My projectors arrived!!! XD However in the long (6 week!) journey here two of the tabs on one of the low beams cracked off. So currently I am waiting for a free day to take off the bumper, line up the tabs in the right spots, fix and install. Before that I am waiting for either the plugs to make my wiring harness to arrive, or waiting to find some locally to save waiting




Crystal Indicators

As posted in Today I, I put on my crystal style front indicators the other day. These were purchased to go with the projectors, but I figured I'd stick them on first...and I was very pleased with the result!!!

Before



Comparison



After



And... Teaser for when I get chrome bulbs / LEDs





Was very good.... Until I stripped the head of the other screw -.- Update - I asked the local Toyota dealer for a replacement but they can't source them any more, so I guess I will just try and find an equivalent at the hardware store.

Euro Stuff

... Still waiting They haven't even been sent out yet since I believe some of my stuff has been lost in the post between Ireland and the mainland UK.

Other Plans

- Paint calipers and rear hubs (red and black respectively) will be done next week hopefully. Was going to do it this week but I am working nights this week and would like to leave the paint to cure overnight.

- Install a hidden cigarette lighter socket under the dash to wire up my dash cam's parking mode. I bought the plug yesterday, so I'll install this week Need to remove some trim to run the wire for it through the roof and pillar too.

- I have spark plugs ready to install, and want to get a couple of other little maintenance things done.

- Find SSIII front splitters

- Swap over to JDM rear wiring harness for tail lights, modified to include a *cough*TrailerHitch*cough*

- Thinking about switching the colour of all my interior LED's again... We'll see

- Looking for a TRD quickshifter - I have found one at the moment but they want $250 plus international shipping for it used

- Install some other random bits and pieces I have been collecting.

- Wash it more / ignore it less

- New wheel alignment to correct for the economy car setup the shop did last time.

- Enjoy it! I went on a big mountain drive yesterday and pushed it on some great roads... Has been almost 10 months since I have been up there and I had forgotten how amazing it was to drive like that! So that will definitely be happening more often

AND a new pic with the clear front indicators;

File a claim through eBay, and do it now. You should be able to get a full refund and you'll return them. Nice score on the projectors. Though is it just me, but why is it that NOBODY knows how to pack freaking headlights so that the tabs don't break off.... My god people, bubble wrap and old newspaper...

Yeah, 3 of the lights were packed really well, but the 4th was sitting on top on a new layer and not so much. There were heaps of newspaper shreddings but they were quite light on with the bubble wrap - only a very thin wrap around each one.

And I am yet to open a dispute because we are still waiting on the outcome of the postal dispute so they won't do anything until that is finalised anyway (I don't have them any more)- and I don't want to piss them off too much until I have what I want I am definitely keeping my eye on the clock for my 45 days though.

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Mine had bubble wrap, packing beans and freaky japanese manga news paper... Still had a tab break and another crack...

People just don't know how to pack. When I pack instruments I do it in such a manner they'd survive the truck rolling over them. Most people just don't know how to, or care to, pack it properly. I can't remember who said it, but someone once told me to "Pack them as if they'll be handled by gorillas." About the damned truth.

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Protip: If you put fragile stickers on it, people throw it harder

That's why you instead mark them with "CAUTION" labels instead.

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More like *EXPLOSIVE*

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Oddly enough I've seen women marked with both labels.

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LOL

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Love, the kind you clean up with a mop and bucket...

Now now guys

I told him that I would be opening a PayPal dispute if I didn't have a suitable replacement product or full refund by the end of next week (Which will be nearing my 45 day period to claim buyer protection which I should be able to win without even trying ). He replied getting very upset saying he will fix everything and I just need to wait, please wait, don't do that etc. etc.

I snapped this pic near midnight on my way home from work the other night since I had my SLR on me (This is just where I was parked at the bus station). Only minimal light coming across from the construction sight (not like the pic shows) and no tripod or anything to lean on I took a couple and they turned out great on the camera, but this was the only one salvageable when I blew them up on the big screen



I am having trouble finding inspiration to take any pics at the moment since I am just waiting to install the projectors Hopefully my wiring plugs will come this week

Be careful, he may just be stalling to get past the time you can open a dispute.

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Don't worry, I wasn't bluffing, I will be opening a dispute even if he has already given me a new tracking number. This guy is getting none of my trust whatsoever

Wheel Alignment

So last year when registering the car after the long drive home, the inspector found transport chocks in the front suspension -.- Needless to say, I had thought the ride was a little harsh on the way home, and the wheel alignment was right out. So I spent my $70 for a new alignment (which was a big deal at that stage of my life) but the tyre shop did an economy car setup on it without consulting me, and killed the turn in.

Soooo.... In preparation for a big (silly) drive I got it done properly this time



Toowoomba Cruise

The next day I set off on a 400km cruise inland to Toowoomba with a couple of mates. We took as many back roads as possible, which included large sections of unsealed roads.... Lots of roads (and driving behaviors) that I wouldn't be able to do if I had some low and decent paint It was a good day




^Note the gravel in the wheels.... may have entered the shot sideways





Probably my favourite shot;



And a side shot, because I never get those




Projectorrzzzz

Yup... It finally happened!!! After ordering them in Easter, and waiting a number of weeks to finalize the sale, and 6 weeks shipping from Japan, and then another 3 weeks waiting for adapters since none of the stores around here could find HB4 plug adapters, I finally got them installed!

I had tracked down a perfect set, however during shipping two of the tabs on one of the projectors snapped off :'( This delayed progress for a bit, but I got down to it the other day and did the repair; 5 minute araldite (2 part epoxy) to secure the tabs back in place, and then a fiberglass repair kit to strengthen it up







For the wiring harness I bought the HB4 harness adapter, and used the H1 pigtails that came with the projectors, and just a simple cut and solder.



And a quick little bumper change (lol, jks )



My mate thought that this was an adequate storage technique



Then;



I had a few troubles getting the under body plastics back together (I have leftover screws and leftover holes... and they don’t match ), but I got it done I got the bulb holders for the accent lights but no pigtails to wire up So I am on the lookout for some 3rd brake lights or side markers to use

JDM door visors

Some of you will have heard that I have had a few issues with my JDM door visors.... The good news is that I finally received my refund!!! Only after opening a PayPal dispute of course, but it was settled outside of the system. (I will link my conversations with the seller here soon – it’s a good read )

However, whilst settling the dispute I scored an epic eBay bargain from Japan; st202 door visors for $22 +p&p!!! XD

They arrived in perfect condition this time, though oddly enough they came attached to the window linings! So anther 2 hours of my life gone, with a hair dryer and a not so sharp knife and I managed to remove them without damage – yay!

I cheated to take some photos and haven’t installed it properly yet – I just need to clear off the last of the double sided tape – I’m thinking I will reattach with silastic.






Mt Cootha

I went for a super quick mini cruise after work today up to a popular lookout overseeing Brisbane... so close but I haven’t been up there since I was a young child, so why not

Unfortunately there were no good photo opportunities with the view, but here is a panorama I made;



And one on the side of the road – note that the camera was completely level in this shot...... the car was not




AND PICTURES!!!! (‘Cause we totally haven’t had any of those yet)























I bought calliper paint – red for the callipers and black for the rear hubs. Now I just need to find time where I can paint them and let them dry

And I was told that my stuff in the UK would be shipping out this week, but I think we missed that boat

Looking good, time for some HIDs now.

damn that looks good!