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One of the most important steps in applying fillers is surface preparation. Begin by washign the repair area with soap and water to remove any dirt. Then clean the area with wax/grease remover to get rid of wax, tar, etc. Make sure you use a cleaner that will remove silicones which is often found in automotive waxes.

Mask any trim, parts, or other panels that could be damaged by grinding and sanding. Use masking tape or duct tape to protect them. Grind the area to remove the old paint working 3 to 4 in around the area to be filled. REMEMBER…Never apply body filler over paint! Only apply filler to bare metal. Filler will NOT bond properly to paint, causing problems later down the road. Use 24 or 36 grit grinding disc to remove paint. Grinding also etches the metal to provide better adhesion. But make sure you only grind to remove the finish. Grinding to much will then and weaken the metal.

After grinding away the finish from the repair area, blow away the sanding dust wtih compressed air and wipe the surface down with a tack rag to remove any dust. Make sure no solvents are used to clean sanded area before applying filler. This could cause pinholing and adhesion problems.

MIXING FILLER

As soon as you open a can of filler you should mix the can to a uniform and smooth consistency. It must be free of lumps and not wet on top.

Now take the cap off the hardner and let all the air out. Put the cap back on and then you want to “Knead” the hardener…this is done by squeezing the tube back and forth with your fingers to mix the material. The hardener should be like toothpaste when you squeeze it out.

MIXING FILLER AND HARDENER

You want to use a clean putty knife or spreader. Place the filler on a smooth, clean filler mixing board. You can also use sheet metal, glass, or hard plastic to mix the filler and hardener onto. Whatever you do, DO NOT use carboard as a mixing board. It is porous and contains waxes. The waxes get dissolved in the mixed filler and cause poor bonding. Carboard also absorbs some of the chemicals in the filler and hardener. Remember to put the lid back on the can of filler right away. This will keep dust and dirt out of the can.

Add hardener according to the proportion indicated on the can, usually 10 percent hardener. Too little hardener will result in a soft, gummy filler that will not adhere. Too much hardener will result in pinholing. A tip I found was for each golf ball size glob of filler use a inch of hardener. If the filler is as big as a baseball, use about a six inch bead of hardener.

With a clean poutty knice or spreader, use a scraping motion going back and forth to mix the filler/hardener together.. Scrape filler off both sides of the spreader and mix it in. Every few back and forth strokes, scrape the filler into the center of the mixing board by circling inward. What ever you do, DO NOT stir the filler. Stirring causing air to get trapped into the filler, which causes air pockets and pinholes.

You want to use clean tools when removing the filler and mixing the filler and hardener together. So total you will need 3 spreaders/sticks. 1 for removing the filler from the can to the mixing board, 1 for mixing the filler/hardener together, and the other for applying the filler to the surface. This will save you from getting hard lumps in your filler or soft spots in the cured filler.

APPLYING THE FILLER

Apply the mixed filler as soon as you are done mixing. First, apply a thin coat of filler to the repair area. Press firmly to force filler into the sand scratches and holes. Work the filler in two directions, left to right then top to bottom. This will greatly reduce pinholing. Spread filler around 3 in beyond the repaired area. This will give you better adheasion, and allows you to featheredge the patch.

When this layer cures, apply more coats to build up the repair area to a proper contour. Allow each application to set up before applying the next coat of filler.

Build up the final layer of filler slightly above the panel surface. So you can sand the filler down smooth on an equal with the existin panel. For your final coating of filler, make sure the spreader has a smooth edge. If worn or nicked it will not make a smooth layer.

Avoid using filler in cold temperatures. When the filler, shop, or panel are cold, the filler will NOT cure properly. Filler should be stored at room temperature. You can use a heat lamp to warm cold surfaces if you need.

FILING THE FILLER

Allow the filler to cure to a semi-hard consistency. This usually takes 15 to 20 minutes. Scratch the filler with your fingernail. If the scratch leaves a white mark, the filler is ready to be filed. Filling is usinga “cheese grater” or body file to rough shape the filler. You will knock off the high spots and rough edges. Since the filler is only partially hard, the body file will quickly remove excess filler. If you do NOT rough shape the filler with a grater, you will waste time and sandpaper. Sandpaper will become laoded quickly.

To use a chees grater, hold it at a 30 degree angle. Pull it lightly across the semi-hard filler. Work the file in several directions. Stop filing when the filler is slightly above the desired level.

APPLYING FILLER TO BODY LINES

Maintaining sharp lines when doing filler work is difficult. The best way to get straight, clean lines is to file each plane, angle, or corner separately. Apply masking tape along one edge. Then apply filler to the adjacent surface. Before the filler sets up, pull the tape off. This will remove the excess filler from the body line.

After the first application is dry and sanded, tape the opposite edge. Apply masking tape along the body line and over the filler. Then, coat the adjacent surface with filler. When the tape is removed and the filler sanded, the result is a straight, even line or corner.

APPLYING FILLER TO PANEL JOINTS

Many panels have joints that are factory finished with a seam sealer to allow the panel to flex. Often, both panels of the join suffer damage and require filler. NEVER cover the seam with bodyfiller. The filler will crack when the body flex. You can fix the joint buy taping off alternate sides. Just apply tape to one panel. Then apply filler to the other panel. Pull the tape up to remove excess filler. Then fill the other panel the same way.

SANDING THE FILLER

After filing, you want to sand out all the file marks. Use a 36 or 40 grit disc on a sanding board or block first. Then, follow with 80 grit sandpaper until all scratches are removed. Finally, smooth the filler with 180 grit sandpaper. Be careful not to oversand.
After final sanding, blow with an air gun and wipe with a tack cloth. Doing this removes the dust and also exposes holes. These holes and sand scratches must be filled in(if any found).

Run your hand over the surface to check for evenness. Do not trust “eye balling”. Paint does NOT hide imperfections, it highlights them. A true bodyman looks with his hands. Do not be satisfied until the repaired surface is perfectly smooth, and remember if you can feel the slightest bump, paint will make it show up much more. The dull surface of filler and sanded paint does not visibly show surface imperfections.

FEATHEREDGING

Featheredging involves sanding the repair area untill the filler and old paint blend smoothly into each other. You must use fine sandpaper, 180 grit or finer. Sand until you rmove any small lip where different materials on the surface meet. Featheredging is commony done with a DA sander.

PRIMERS AND SEALERS

Primers come in different types- primer, primer-sealer, primer-filler,epoxy-primers, etc(cannot remember them all). A plain primer is a thin undercoat made to provide good adhesion for your topcoat. Primers can be used when the surface is smooth and there is no protectial problem with “bleeding”.
You may ask, well what is “bleeding”…Bleeding is where your colors in the undercoat/old paint seep into your topcoat. Which in turn will discolor your new paint.

A self-etcing primer has a type of acid in it to treat bare metal so that the primer will adhere properly.

A sealer is a innercoat between the topcoat and the primer/old finish to prevent the bleeding you can sometimes get. Sealers are different from primer-sealers because they cannot be used as a primer. Sealers are sprayed over a primer/old finish.

A primer-sealer is a undercoat that improves adhesion of the topcoat and also seals the old painted surfaces that have been sanded. So it pretty much solves two potential problems(adhesion and bleed) at once.

A primer-filler is a VERY thick form of primer. It is used when a very pitted or rough surface must be filled and smoothed

There is also a epoxy-primer, which is a two part primer that cures harder and faster then normal primers. It greatly increases body filler adhesion and corrosion over metal. The epoxy primers are the closets thing to OEM primer.

A thing to remember about primers and your topcoat. Always use a complete system. Meaning all the materials(primer, paint, etc) are compatible and made by the same company. You do this because they are designed to work properly with each other. If you mix materials from different manufacturers, you can run into BIG problems.

PRIMING

Priming is done directly after filling to cover any bare metal as well as filler. After using filler, primer is often sprayed on the repair area. Since primer is very thick, it will help fill small sand scratches in the filler and paint.

For best results when applying primer, spray 2 to 3 coat. You will actually save time by following flash recommendations versus spraying coats wet on wet. Wait a hour or more before sanding the primer.

After the primer dries, you can dry or wet sand the filler to check your work. Now you are ready for a step called “guide coating”. You just need a cheap can of spray paint ( I use walmart 99 cent stuff)and spray a LIGHT mist over the full coat of primer. Also you will want a color that you can see well…black, red, etc. Then, by sanding the area, you can easily find high and low spots. If the spray paint does not sand off, you found a low spot. If it sands off too quickly, you have found a high spot. Ideally, the primer and spray paint should sand off a the same time. This shows that the surface is flat and ready for sealer.

APPYING GLAZING PUTTY

Once the primer is dry, small pinholes and scratches can be filled with glazing putty. Just mix the putty and hardener according to the back of the tube. Place a small amount of putty onto a clean rubber squeegee. Apply a thin coat over the primer. Use single strokes and a fast scraping motion. Glazing putty will dry very fast.

ATTENTION- A common mistake is to use glazing putty as a filler. Spot putty is NOT as strong as filler. Only use putty to fill small imperfections in the primer. Do NOT apply it to bare metal or painted surfaces. Most are designed to be applied over primer.

Allow the putty to dry completely before sanding smooth with 240 grit sandpaper. The repair is now ready for final priming, sealing, and painting.

PREPARING THE CAR FOR PAINT

When painting the entire car you will need to sand the car down for the topcoat to adhere. You want to use 400 grit wet for almost all your topcoats. Light sanding should be done on all areas where the old finish is in good condition. The purpose is to partially reduce the paint gloss to improve adhesion. You want to use a sanding block to do this. Never use a grinder or sander. For the base coat/clear coat finishes, you will want to sand all surffaces with 400 grit followed by 600 grit. Wet sanding is faster and requires less sandpaper then dry.

Remember every inch to be painted must be sanded. If you dont scuff any glossy surface the paint will peel off.

PREPARATION

Check all masking tape and paper one last time. Make sure none of the tape has pulled up or paper has been torn. Inspect all edges and paper closely for openings that could allow overspray leaks. Blow off any dust with a air gun. As you blow off surfaces, wipe the vehicle down with a tack cloth. After wiping down be careful NOT to touch the surface being refinished. Before applying the topcoat, carefully read the paint manufacturer’s directions that appear on the paint can. Each has specific formulations for its products. For this reason, the best source of data on how to apply a specific brand of paint is the label. You want to check…
1.) Viscosity recommendations
2.) Air pressure recommendations
3.) Use of additives, reducers, thinners, and activators
4.) Application techniques
5.) Number of coats required
6.) Polishing and compounding recommendations
7.) Clean up procedures

DETERMINING TYPE OF OLD FINISH

Before planning any refinishing job, you must find out what type of paint is on the vehicle. The vehicle might have its original paint or it could have eben repainted with a different type of paint. Here is a method I use to find out. Rub the paint wiht a white cloth soaked in lacquer thinner to see how easily the paint will dissolve. If the paint film dissolves and leaves a mark on the rag, it is a type of air dried paint. If it does not dissolve, its either an oven dried or a two part reaction type paint. The easiest way to see if a car has been painted is to inspect closely for signs of repainting. Look for masking tape created paint lines, overspray, and other signs of repairing. If the vehicle has not been repainted, you can use the body color code identification plate to determine the type of paint on the vehicle.

SPRAY GUN APPLICATION STROKE

You want to apply in a side to side movement of the spray gun to distribute the paint evenly. You want to practice on masking paper to get it perfect. Any problems with the spray pattern must be corrected before painting the vehicle.

To use a spray gun, hold the gun 6 to 8 inches away from the surface. Normally, hold the gun parallel and perpendicular to the surface. Keep the gun at a right angle to the vehicle. This should be done even when spraying curves in the body. If you tilt the gun when spraying the sides of the vehicle, an uneven paint film will result. On flat surfaces such as the hood or roof, the gun should be pointed almost straight down.

Avoid fanning the gun with your wrist. Fanning the gun will deposit an uneven paint film. The paint film will be thicker right in front of your gun and thinner on the sides. The only time you should fan the gun is when you are trying to blend a small repair spot. With a spot repair, you want the paint fim thinner at the edges to blend out the spray.

Spray gun triggering involves stopping the paint spray before you stop moving the gun sideways. When you pull halfway back on the trigger, only air blows out of the nozzle. When you pull all the way back, paint is atomized and sprayed out.

During the application stroke, release halfway on the trigger right before you stop moving the gun sideways. This will prevent too much paint being deposited when the gun changes direction. It will also keep air moving through the nozzle to help prevent sudden burst of paint. Release the trigger halfway at the end of each pass, then pull it back when beginning the pass in the opposite direction.

Move the gun with a steady, deliberate pass, about one foot per second. The speed must be consistent or it will result in an uneven coat. Spray edges and corners first. Aim directly at the corner or edge so that half of the spray covers each side of the corner or edge. After all the edges and corners have been sprayed, spray the face or front of the panel.

Generally, start spraying at the top of any upright surface, such as as door panel. The gun nozzle should be level with the top of the panel. The upper half of the spray pattern should hit and cover the masking paper. Move the gun all the way across the top of the panel. Make sure you hold the gun square with the panel and keep it the same distance from the panel.

You want to make sure each spray gun coat cover about half of the previous coat of paint. Make each pass in the opposite direction. So one half of the spray pattern overlaps the previous coat. The other half of the paint pattern is applied to the unpainted area. For a double coat, repeat, making sure to allow flash time of several minutes between coats.

TYPES OF SPRAY COATS

The easiest way to control thickness is by changing how fast you move the gun sideways. If you move the gun slower, a heavier, thicker coat will be applied. If you move faster, paint thickness is decreased.

A tack coat is a mist coat applied to the surface first. It allows the application of heavier wet coats without saggin or runs. THe tack coat dries quickly to bond and form a lightly textured paint film to hold the next coats in place. The tack coat will flash quickly, usually in a few minutes.

OVERALL REFINISHING

There is no universal way for overall refinishing of a vehicle. However, most experienced painters agree that the following method is an excellent technique. Start by painting the roof, then the rear, then the driver side, front, and finally the passenger side. It will produce minimum overspray on horizontal surfaces. This will also help keep a wet edge when starting a new section.

Wet edge means that the area just painted will still be wet when starting to paint a new adjoining area.

APPLYING BASECOAT/CLEARCOAT

More and more cehicles have basecoat/ clearcoat finishes, it is very important to become fmailiar with them. You must first spray the color basecoat over the repair area.

When spraying, two medium coats of basecoat should be applied. The basecoat does NOT have to be glossy, and only enough should be used to achieve hiding. Two or three medium wet coats of clear should be applied next. Allow at lwast 15 minutes flash time between coats.

Avoid sanding the basecoat. If sanding must be done because of dirt or imperfections, allow the paint time to dry. Wet sanding the 1000 grit sandpaper will minimize sand scratches. The sanded area must then be given another coat of basecoat to prevent streaking. On panel repairs, only spray the basecoat where needed. You do NOT have to basecoat the whole panel if the existing color is acceptable. Use as much of the existing color as possible to help avoid a color mismatch. Do NOT load clearcoats on heavily. Because they are clear, it is easy to use too much trying to increase the desired glamour effect. As a result, the thick clear will hide the color. Also do NOT use thick viscosity clearcoats. Clears do NOT perform better when they are under-reduced. THin or reduce clearcoats according to the label.

REMOVAL OF MASKING TAPE

After you are finished with you base/clear, pull the tape slowly so that it comes off evenly. Take care NOT to touch any painted areas because the paint might NOT be completely dry. Fingerprints or tape marks could result. Never allow paint to dry thoroughly before removing the tape. This could cause the paint to peel off along with the tape.

After all this its time to clean your gun. There are many different ways to clean your gun properly. Just make sure you follow the steps in the instructions that came with the gun.

WET SANDING…AGAIN

You will need to wet sand to smooth the paint surface on larger areas to remove orange peel. Wet sanding should normally be done with a rubber sanding block. For finishing, 1000, 1200 and finer grits of wet sandpaper are used.

Wet sand in a small circular motion. Use plenty of water to flush away paint debris. Dip the block in a bucket of water or use a hose to flow water over the area. You also want to use a drop of soap in the water to help clean the surface as you sand.

You do not want to cut too deep into the finish so you want to check the area often while sanding. If you cut through the clearcoat or color, repainting will be necessary.

BUFFING/ POLISHING

Polishing involves using very fine compound to bring the paint up to full gloss. Many finishing systems recommend the use of different buffing and polishing pads. It is important to use a slow-speed machine to avoid static build-up and high surface temeratures. Do not push down on the buffer. Let the weight of the machine do the work.

Because the compoud has a tendency to dry out, do not try to do too large an area at one time. Always keep the machine moving to prevent cutting through or burning the topcoat. As the compound starts to dry out, lift up a little on the machine so pad speed increases. This will make the surface start to shine.

You can hand polish small or hard to reach areas. Machine polish larger areas to save time. Instead of a circular action buffer, you should use an orbital action machine for you final polishing. It will move the polishing compound in a random manner to prevent swirl makrs left from machine compounding. Final polishing should always be done with an extra fine polishing compound.

CARING FOR YOUR NEW FINISH

A newly refinished vehicle must receive special care, as the paint can take several months to cure. Each paint manufacturer will have specific recommendations for caring for a new finish. You should avoid commercial car washes and harsh cleaners for 1-3 months. Hand wash using only water and a soft sponge for the first month. Dry with cotton towels only. Avoid waxing and polishing for up to three months. After that time, use a wax designed for basecoat/clearcoat finishes. Avoid scraping ice and snow newar newly refinished surfaces. Finally flush gas, oil, or fluid spills with water as soon as possible for the first month. DO NOT wipe off.
Photo by Auntie P

You can get a compression tester for between $15 and $50 almost anywhere you can get auto supplies, including Auto Zone, Pep Boys, and even Wal-Mart. You don’t need a particularly good or expensive one just to make sure you’re in specification.

Matco tools, model # CT166K

In case any of the plugs are fouled. The NGK are the most frequently recommended plugs on the Honda motors, if you’re not replacing your plugs, and even if you are, you might as well make sure they’re properly gapped.

Instructions:

1. Before you begin, make sure the battery is fully charged and engine is up to normal operating temperature.

2. Unplug Electrical Fuel Injector connections individually

3. Unplug the coil connector, it’s on the left side of the engine, Connected to the Distributor

4. Remove all 4 plugs and examine them carefully for signs of a problem. If your valve seals are bad in any cylinder, the plug will be fouled to some degree. Signs of oil on the plugs could indicate a ring problem

5. Screw the compression gauge into the spark plug hole

6. Open the throttle plate, and keep it at WOT (wide open throttle) for as long as you’re cranking.

7. Turn the ignition to the ON position, and hold it there for a count of five revolutions (do not turn the key on-and-off four times). On each rotation, the gauge needle will jump slightly less than the previous

Note: If your battery is weak, the engine will turn over slower and give you lower readings. Recharge the battery and redo the test

8. The last number the gauge jumps to is the compression for that cylinder.

Note: For photography and freezing cold reasons I only Cranked the engine 2 times, reason for the 99.8 PSI reading

9. Repeat for each cylinder.

Standard PSI:

nominal 178 psi

minimal 135 psi

max variation 28 psi

Diagnose:

When doing the tests make note of the readings for each cylinder, all the readings should be in a range of %10 +- any reading below indicates a possible leak, if so next steps would be a wet compression test and leak down test

I know there’s already a couple threads about this but not an official DIY writeup, thought i’d contribute. this is a pretty simple DIY that can make your engine bay look 100 times cleaner.

Materials:

• VHT or Krylon Wrinkle paint (I used VHT red wrinkle)

• Paint stripper (can be bought from Lowe’s, Home Depot, anywhere)

• Paint thinner

• Sandpaper- I used 150,220,320, and 600 gritValve cover (obviously)

• Tape

• ratchet and socket set

Here’s some of the materials I used with my chipping old valve cover:

1. First take off your valve cover, I’m not gonna go through this process and if you don’t know how to, consult your Hayne’s or Helm’s manual…if you don’t have one of those then you need to get one now.

2. Make sure you remove the rubber valve cover gasket and rubber spark plug seals on the underside of the valve cover. Also remove all bolts from the valve cover.

3. Clean off all oil and dirt on the valve cover with water/soap.

4. Spray or brush the paint stripper on the painted surface generously and let sit for about 5 minutes (depending on how strong it is.) Then wash it off with a hose or run it under a sink and the old paint should come right off with a little help. CAUTION-avoid getting the paint stripper on your skin, it burns like hell here’s what it should look like after this step:

5. Dry it off and begin the sanding process- start with the 100/150 grit and gradually work your way up to the 600 grit. Make sure you sand out all kinks and scratches. Here’s what mine looks like after sanding:

6. Wash it off with water to get the metal dust off and then dry it and start taping off all parts you don’t want painted. Look at the picture to see what to mark off, but basically everything that wasn’t painted stock. This process takes a while. I used a pen or pencil to press the duct tape down in hard to reach areas lilke the spark plug holes.

7. After you mark everything off, apply the paint thinner to a rag and wipe it all over the metal surface to clean it, try not to touch the valve cover after this.

8. Now you’re ready to paint, I didn’t use primer on the wrinkle paint but some people will. Mine turned out fine. Shake the can thoroughly and spray 3 or 4 coats with a 3 minute break in between each coat. For the first coat spray it in horizontal lines, then verticle lines, then diagonal to get an even coating. Make sure you get the sides and hard to reach areas.

9. Let the paint dry for at least 12 hours, then remove ALL tape. Next, set the oven to 200 degrees and put the valve cover in for 20 minutes to set the paint. Make sure when you take it out you don’t touch the paint with the oven glove as it may be a little wet still (that was my mistake and I had to touch it up)

10. Let the valve cover cool for a couple hours so the paint dries, then mask tape off around the lettering and sand the letters using the same process you sanded the valve cover before. Some people suggest putting chapstick on the lettering before you paint it but i think the sanding process is less messy.

And the finished product:

Now reinstall it, don’t forget to put the rubber spark plug seals back on and the valve cover gasket. It might be a good idea to order a new gasket but it’s not really necessary if the other one is in good shape.

Congrats you now have a clean looking engine and around 15 more whp

here it is installed in the bay:

I purchased the 9006 6000k kit for my Integra and these are the steps I used to install it.

Tools needed:
10mm socket (optional)

Procedure:

1. Make sure that you have all the necessary components in the conversion box. They include:

2 HID 35W Bulbs
2 Ballasts with ignitor and polarity adjuster integrated
2 Ballast pads (useless)
Zip Ties
Assorted Screws, bolts, and washers (useless)
Stators (useless)

2. Chuck the instruction “pamphlet” right in the circular file and don’t ever refer to it. Firstly, it refers to the hood as a bonnet and secondly, it tells you to remove your headlight assembly and start drilling away with a 22mm hole cutter.

3. Remove your stock (or xenon piece of shit) light bulbs and leave the harnesses hanging. If you notice, the ballast has a black and a red wire with a prongy thingy at the end.

4. They are making this too easy….Notice the black and red wires leading to the factory bulb harness.

5. I wonder what you do next? My guess was to put the prongy thingys into the holes on the factory harness matching up the color wires. Make sure you jam them in there tightly, so that the rubber is insulating the prong and the harness.

6. Grab one of the 35W HID bulbs and make sure you don’t drop it, scratch it, hump it, breathe on it, throw it in an open flame, etc, etc, etc. My point is that if the glass is scratched or has oil on it from your fingers, it may possibly explode when it has 25,000 volts running through it. Not a good thing…

7. Now insert the wires and harnesses on the bulb into the harnesses on the ballast. There is only one way they can go, so if you screw this up, you need to kill yourself. Then insert the bulb into the headlight assembly very carefully like you would with a normal bulb. Then push the foam around the outside of the hole to insulate it from moisture.

8. Now, the hard part: finding a suitable place for the ballast. The holes in the ballast to mount with screws are useless since they are too close to the body of it, so any screw turning involved won’t work. This took me about half an hour. I mounted the passenger side snugly between the ABS relay and ABS modulator. It fits snugly, so I didn’t have to tie it down at all. Then I zip tied the wires and tucked them between the ABS modulator and chassis.

9. I also zip tied the passenger side wires to one of the ABS modulator pipes to make sure they weren’t going anywhere.

10. The drivers side required a bit more intuition considering the complete lack of anywhere suitable to mount the ballast because of a) moving parts b) hot parts or c) no where wide or snug enough to cram it into. I put it against the chassis and secured it with picture hanging wire on both sides. One wire going through the front part of the chassis and one going through the bolt that holds the windshield washer fluid reservoir filler on. (That is where that 10mm socket would come in handy)

You are now done. Fire those suckers up and pray that you weren’t an idiot and put the wrong wires in the wrong sockets. Mine had trouble the first time I fired them up because only the passenger side worked. I turned them on and off a few times and they eventually both fired up with full force. I guess it is just a break in, or something…

On to the review:

Right off the bat, I noticed a huge increase in visibility in both the side and frontal directions. The 6000k kit has a nice blue tint to it that I was trying to acheive with xenon bulbs, but the visibility sucked ass especially at night and during the rain. I like how the HIDs make the road markings a blueish color so they stand out better. Overall, I think it is a well spent $250. Installation was super easy, visibility is much improved, and they look pretty damn spiffy.

Here are some before and after pics:

Before:

After:

Some time ago I decided to install a new lip on the .:R, but the thing is, no one makes a lip for it that I like. If you cruise the ‘tex, you’ll find a lot of people install the lip that originally came on a SEAT Cupra.

I’ve read every singe seat lip post on the ‘tex and I don’t think any of them really discussed the inherent problem with it. You know, that problem being that the damn thing doesn’t fit.

Some of the people on the ‘tex just half-ass it. They just jam it on there, force it around and screw it down, but really, doesn’t my car deserve more respect than that? So here we go, my seat lip install, complete with snappy photos and quirky anecdotes from yours truely.

I had already removed my front fascia to re-install my center grill. (More on why in a later episode) That’s because there’s no friggin way are you getting the center grille back on without taking off the front fascia. Sure you can remove it without taking the fascia off, and all the damn clips fall on the ground and you have to try and locate like 187 tiny u-clips that have bounced all over your driveway! But unless you’ve been genetically engineered by the military to have freakishly small hands forget about getting it back on, it’s fuckin impossible.

Check out the graphic proof of fascia removal!

Back to the lip.

So I dragged the entire fascia and lip to my dining room, I mean where else are you going to work on something like this. It was like 75 degrees out, and that’s too damn chilly to be working in the garage. Plus ‘Lex totally digs it when I do stuff like this inside. oh yeah!

Check out my cool new heat gun. Up to 1000 degrees baby!! Seriously the damn thing gets hotter than the sun.

Take a look at the before, I used the lower splash shields as kind of a template, and you can see the problem. The Seat Cupra has a much rounder nose than the .:R, so even if you bolt it on and bend it further, it won’t take care of the fact that the bend starts too early. So I began by first straightening the front leading edge of the lip THEN beginning the bends.

I spent maybe 10-15 minutes of skin searing bending on each side, hey gloves would have been a good idea!

Check out the after.. well worth the work

You can see how much better its going to fit already.

I then flipped the fascia over and began to bolt it down. There was no wrestling, no fighting, it went on like it fit. Like it’s supposed to! Hooray!!

After everything was bolted down it was time to check my handiwork.

I used a dremel (I’m a dremel master, really) to trim the ends of the lip and drill a small hole to reinforce the ends with a small self tapping screw. I didn’t need these screws to hold it on but I figured it was extra insurance again me going all kamikaze with a speed bump. And really, that little tab is just perfect for it. Isn’t it cute!

Then I celebrated my victory! And the cold glass felt good against my scorched hands. wheew!

And finally here’s a few money shots for good measure. Sorry my car was a bit dusty (big surprise) and the light wasn’t so great, but hey, you know you like it!

Overall I’m really happy with the results, it gives a real OEM+ look, and I’m all about it.