Soquel1's "Back from the dead" 2002 NHBP

[soquel1]

Hey what's up EpHatch !!!

First of all this is the best damn web site ever !!! And I must give thanks where it is due:

Boricua4life- (Manny) For 04-05 Type R bumper
RhdSirEk4- (Roger) For 04-05 Type R grille and emblem
Miah- (Miah) For JDM rear bumper and sweet ass LED dome light bulbs !!! :D
Wilpezash- (Wil) For UKDM Type R mirrors
ABC Dismantlers San Francisco- K20a2 Swap
Auto Plus, San Mateo CA

So I will put some history/story behind my Ep3 but will try to shorten it as much as possible. I have actually been a member on here since 2007 when I bought my car but never really posted as I didn't plan to mod it (explained later). But I rarely logged on and I thus forgot my screen name and password ha ha....... Anyways, I guess you can say it all started back when Gran Turismo came out on Playstation 1. I fell in love with the Ek9 and generally, the import scene as a whole. Just from playing the game itself me and my older brother learned quite a bit lol. So he bought a 1996 black Accord coupe and we both put in money and wrench time into it when we could. It ended up with an H22 swap and we werehooked on the import scene. We both eventually ended up exhausting our efforts though as school/life happens and left the import scene behind somewhat. So in 2007 I purchased a 2002 NHBP Honda Civic Si on Craigslist from some girl the next town over. It was very well kept and basically stock but did have cosmetic damage so was not perfect on exterior. At this point I simply wanted a car to get me to school and back and had no intentions of modifying it as I felt my modifying days were over after the Accord. I did however keep it extremely clean, even at its 4x4 height lol.

I ended up graduating from college and moving to San Francisco for a good job offer. One night while surfing craigslist I found a set of Tein springs and 05 headlights for sale not too far from S.F. just north of Berkeley. I got both from the guy for 120 bucks !!! From then on, I got the bug again lol. I ended up moving back to where I grew up. Here is a picture of the car when I first put the lowering springs on....

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/IMAG0038.jpg?t=1350097570

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/IMAG0039.jpg?t=1350097626

Paint job, BB4 lip, OEM sides, then rims. Last USDM days....

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/CAM00068.jpg?t=1350097743

Present day: 1/15/14

Engine:
K20a2 Swap + 6 speed Trans
Hondata IMG
Hondata K-Pro V.3
Hondata OEM intake air box mod
Skunk 2 Megapower Catback
Power Rev P2R Throttle Body gasket
Avid Billet Motor Mounts

Styling:
17x7 +45 Desmond Regamaster Evo w/ Nexen 215/45/17
16x7 +42 Enkei Rpf1 w/ Falken 205/50/16
Black Muteki Lug nuts
Type R Authentic rear wing
04-05 Splashguards
04-05 Headlight conversion
04-05 OEM Sides
04-05 Type R front bumper & lip
04-05 Type R grill & emblem
JDM Front rebar
USDM modified rear rebar
JDM rear bumper & lip

Interior:
DIY Type R door cards
JDM Shift Boot
JDM Ep3 Type R shift knob
Mugen Mirror cover
Buddy Club Seats
Buddy Club Super low down rails
Willans Silverstone Harnesses
Autopower 4 point roll bar

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/CAM00105.jpg?t=1350097372

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/CAM00101-1.jpg?t=1351306453

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/CAM00102.jpg?t=1350097412

Quality pictures from a good camera coming soon !!! Also, new wheels and not just show but more go !!!! :mcool:

[usedep3]

very nice man. def clean

[charles]

Nice save! Looks good

[soquel1]

very nice man. def clean

Thanks man means a lot coming from you. I learned lots from your posts back in the day. (My first account lol).


Nice save! Looks good

Thank you !

[rhdsirek4]

Bad ass... Keep it up. Theres a need for ep3s done right. The population is scarce.lol

[usedep3]

Thanks man means a lot coming from you. I learned lots from your posts back in the day. (My first account lol).

what was your old handle/username? congrats on the new job btw

[miah]

Wow that looks really good man keep it up your on the right track:)

[soquel1]

Bad ass... Keep it up. Theres a need for ep3s done right. The population is scarce.lol

Thanks man. Your car was the tipping point to get the 04-05 Type R front end. I was on the fence about the 02-03 and 04-05 Type R.


what was your old handle/username? congrats on the new job btw

That's the thing I completely forgot. I guess at that time my mind just wasn't in the game anymore...... For shame....


Wow that looks really good man keep it up your on the right track:)

Thanks man !!! I keep my car clean but when I saw your car in person last week I told myself I had to STEP MY GAME UP ! LOL.

[Distance]

are you in socal currently? i noticed you mentioned you lived in norcal while attending school.

ride is looking good.

[DA9_GSR]

Love it! Looks great!

[soquel1]

are you in socal currently? i noticed you mentioned you lived in norcal while attending school.

ride is looking good.

Thanks man ! Nah I'm still in Nor Cal. I grew up in Central Ca but LA too so I still have uncles, aunts, cousins down there so I still visit every now and then. I'm down to roll my Ep out there though! So Cal represents the Ep game well !!!


Love it! Looks great!

Thanks man !!!

[Chinoisi]

Nice comeback story

[boricua4life]

Looking good man!!!! That bumper looks familiar:mwink:. But definetly looks better on yours. Keep up the good work, makes you appreciate the car even more. So whats next? Anything big planned in the near future?

[soquel1]

Nice comeback story

Thanks man.


Looking good man!!!! That bumper looks familiar:mwink:. But definetly looks better on yours. Keep up the good work, makes you appreciate the car even more. So whats next? Anything big planned in the near future?

Thanks Manny !!! Yeah, I plan to get some different wheels and definitely swap out the engine. :msmile:

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[soquel1]

Put my new mirrors on. Photoshoot tomorrow. Thanks again Wil ! :mbiggrin:

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/CAM00127-1.jpg

[superchargedk20]

Love it

[wilpezash]

Looking really good man, love it!!

[soquel1]

Love it


Looking really good man, love it!!

Thank you gentlemen.

Here are some shots taken yesterday with a better quality camera. Kind of wishing I took more time to look for a better location but ah well....

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/photo1.jpg

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/photo21.jpg

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/photo3.jpg

I am going to try and stay away from the site for a while so I can save up for the next big thing ha ha.

[02ep3413]

Nice Ride. Looks clean Brotha.

[soquel1]

Thanks :mbiggrin: A lot more to go though.

[soquel1]

Omni rear LCA's for $ 100. Yes. Insane out of this world updates ? No : ( Waiting on someone to pay me some money owed. :mmad: Then I can start getting a bit more serious with this car. :msmile:

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/CAM00160_zps9dd3dacd.jpg

Some driveway pictures next to my daily.

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/CAM00164_zps60119717.jpg

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/CAM00162_zps5af7914e.jpg

[superchargedk20]

I can't wait to get my jdm bumpers

[rhdsirek4]

Nice!

[soquel1]

I can't wait to get my jdm bumpers Ahhh just get them already ! Ha ha.


Nice! Thanks Roger !

[soquel1]

Been a little bored lately as haven't had the time to work on the Ep3. Conferences, meetings, bla bla bla work has been busier than I would like it to be. But luckily I have a window of opportunity so my work schedule will not be as hectic. With that said, I drove up to San Francisco today and picked up my swap. I love the view from this spot on the Bay Bridge. The picture sucks but to the right you would be able to see the city. Those of you that live here or have visited know what I'm talking about...... I used to see it everyday as I commuted to the East Bay from San Francisco for work. I do miss living here a little bit. Heh.

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/sanfran_zps39e6995c.jpg

And here is the swap. I opted with the K20a2.

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/k20a2_zps4ffa3622.jpg

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/K20a2-1_zps9f5f5d62.jpg

I'll be busy with this for a little bit and am looking forward to it !!! Much more to come..... changes in wheel setup and interior : )

[monjarassi]

That's the spirit.. very clean ep u got there...

[soquel1]

That's the spirit.. very clean ep u got there...

Thank you sir ! Your engine builds are that of legend.

[gtimportfanatic]

lovely progress

[soquel1]

lovely progress

Thank you sir ! I actually can't wait to get started on my Ek9 or Ej6 rather. :tehehyper:

[monjarassi]

Thank you sir ! Your engine builds are that of legend.

Thanks, i try my best to keep the ep game going

[soquel1]

I have been dreading work lately but did manage to start surgery today. Didn't get around to doing much unfortunately. Pretty much just removed lines, engine harness, relieved fuel pressure. Yesterday I brought the hoist and other necessary tools from family members houses. But everything should be coming along quicker now. I do wish I had a REAL garage (shop) with more space. Hondata IMG and Avid motor mounts on the way.

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/CAM00077_zpsf6d5a73e.jpg

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/CAM00079_zps07b234cd.jpg

[superchargedk20]

Gimmie ur bumpers !

[gtimportfanatic]

^ never mind this guy, he always looking for something lol

[soquel1]

Gimmie ur bumpers !

Ha ha, you know I might get rid of this one. When taking it off I noticed that the tab that connects under the passenger side headlight came loose. It can be easily fixed with some epoxy putty. Also, it has a few dings here and there, nothing crazy. I figured with paint and body work I would just get a new one. Once I am done with the swap and wheels I'll see how I am with funds and keep you in mind.


^ never mind this guy, he always looking for something lol

Lol.

[superchargedk20]

^ never mind this guy, he always looking for something lol

And ur looking for trouble!

[soquel1]

Quite possibly the slowest build ever...... I only have time to work on this during the weekends and with friends getting married, family visiting, time has been tight. The passenger side spindle/axle nut was a real asshole to me. So I just ended up removing the lower ball joint from the control arm. All in all I can finally say that I got this thing out..... we had some good times together. Slowly but surely.

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/CAM00120_zps3845f868.jpg

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/d7bfac6b-0ba1-405d-a6eb-2bf830a0e0ab_zpsa3a3dc1d.jpg

Had to take one of these corny ones corny ha ha...... It's damn hot in my garage !!!!

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/CAM00136_zps7ebb1683.jpg

[superchargedk20]

Omg.take that Chelsea jersey off!

[soquel1]

Omg.take that Chelsea jersey off!

Lmao.... I knew I would get some ish from somebody on here ha ha ha.

[superchargedk20]

Lol. Jk. Clean Ur motor, its filth though lol

[soquel1]

Lol. Jk. Clean Ur motor, its filth though lol

Let me guess..... Manchester United ?

I will definitely clean it lol. Especially since I am planning on selling the entire swap locally.

[soquel1]

Hello gentlemen ! Feels good to be back and on the site again. Summer was good and bad for me. My good buddy "Rocco" who you see in my avatar passed away due to a rare illness found in dry climates called "Valley Fever". It was absolutely horrific watching his condition worsen until finally the vet said we had to put him down. Rest in peace pal....... Anyway that put me back $ 1,200 and of course work on the car in general. Then I went on vacation to Lake Tahoe. Here we are kayaking to Fannette Island....

[URL=http://s1078.photobucket.com/user/callicrates1/media/tahoe_zpsd70105a1.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/tahoe_zpsd70105a1.jpg

Then went on vacation again later in the summer to visit my family in Chicago....

[URL=http://s1078.photobucket.com/user/callicrates1/media/chitown_zpsa49fcc39.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/chitown_zpsa49fcc39.jpg

Then I got promoted, and had to travel a bit for work down south to L.A. and to Bay Area. So that sucked lol.

Anyway.... Installed new clutch, Hondata IMG and purchased the Avid motor mounts. Siince I finally got a bit of stability in my schedule lately I dropped the swap in and the car started up on the first crank !

[URL=http://s1078.photobucket.com/user/callicrates1/media/mounts_zps95a8fac4.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/mounts_zps95a8fac4.jpg

[URL=http://s1078.photobucket.com/user/callicrates1/media/ep3_zps2a65b0ab.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/ep3_zps2a65b0ab.jpg

Will tow it to Acura in the next coming days so I can actually rev more than 3k RPM safely (run a2 ECU). I'm definitely ditching the AEM V2 and new wheels/tires have already been ordered !!!! :mcool:

Feels good to be back and am looking forward to being active on the site once again.

Til then.

[soquel1]

So I called 3 different dealerships in my area and they all had a very difficult time understanding what I am trying to do...... Doesn't sound to hard to me ??? Or they simply said "we don't wanna deal with swaps". I even got one guy saying that has "never been done before". I'm not so much frustrated but surprised ? I think I'm just gonna tow the damn thing over to a dealership and actually show them what I want to do. At this point, I know K-pro is an option but I would much rather direct my attention/funds on suspension performance/parts.....

[soquel1]

So I finally get through to a damn local Acura dealership what I am trying to accomplish. I get the shop manager's name and he says to bring the car down so they can "try" to match the Ep3 key to the swapped engine immobilizer. I drive the car to the dealership with a friend following me. When I arrive, they act like I never spoke to anybody and say they don't touch anything aftermarket ha ha ha. There aren't any aftermarket parts on the engine swap so...... Anyways the experience simply solidified my belief that dealerships or should I say stealerships are useless. Has anybody ever heard the saying "You don't know shit from Shinola" ? Ha ha.

So on the way home my battery light turns on my dash and I think: "Hmmm, my alternator is out...." Then I look again and my temperature is super high.... Shit !!!! So I pull over, turn the car off and my serpentine belt is completely off !!!! The culprit ??? The top of my water pump passage assembly completely cracked, where the idler pulley is bolted onto. Here is a picture of the assembly that I pulled off the k20a3:

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/idler_zps80c36eb2.jpg

The car overheated for sure, but I don't believe the head gasket has been compromised as there is no water in the oil. I will soon find out though. Anyways I started ripping into this thing again and have to admit that I am having a blast.

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/frontopen_zps742dc0ab.jpg

If the head gasket did go I'll just replace that mofo too. I've turned every bolt, pushed in every clip etc on this car by myself and have learned so much. The only help I have had thus far has been from my brother dropping the swap in/guiding it. I can't tell you how much satisfaction I got when I drove the car around with the swap in. Even if I couldn't go above 3k RPM, just the fact of knowing that I did everything is awesome. I can only imagine the smile others get on this site when they install their builds that are much greater in complexity than mine. Cool thing was that reverse went in just fine with the 6 speed tranny, I did not have to notch my shifter.

So, I'll get this part replaced and I have two leads to people that know how to deal with immobilizers etc. If that route doesn't work I will just get K-Pro. Also, I haven't gotten my wheels because they were on backorder. The vendor I was dealing with gave me the option of my money back and I did just that. I figured I would just wait on the new wheels for now. Upward and onward ! Heh.

[soquel1]

Completed minor surgery today and it was a success. Replaced the broken water passage way with a new one from Acura, and also got around to fixing an idle issue I have had since the first start up of the swap. Idle was high, around 2k and would bounce from 500-1500 RPM after the car warmed up. Figured it would be a vacuum leak so I took off the throttle body, replaced the stock paper gasket with a plastic P2R piece and also replaced the IACV. Here is a picture of how bad it was:

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/iacv_zps8913aa77.jpg

My idle is all good now. Most importantly, the car did not overheat and does not show any signs of a bad head gasket, warped head form the incident a few weeks back. All is well again, and will get the damn Acura ECU programmed to my Honda key here in the next few days. Oh and I was surprised at how much a pain in the ass it was removing the old paper gasket from the throttle body. Some careful use of solvent and a scraper took care of it though.

[soquel1]

So I've gotten nowhere with dealerships and a few local people that know things with immobilizers etc. My only option is K-Pro. That will be ordered here in the next few days. After all it will be well worth it. In the mean time I installed a JDM shift boot and CTR shift knob as well.

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/boxes_zps3df5a7db.jpg

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/knob1_zps343f6c58.jpg

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/knob2_zpsa944c598.jpg

[usedep3]

I'm pretty sure you've probably already tried this, but have you tried to get the service tech to follow these instructions? link (http://www.hondata.com/downloads/immobilizer_reprogram.pdf)

When I went to sync my kpro to my immobilizer, the tech and service manager came out and said it couldn't be done. I confirmed they had the HDS tool and did the immobilizer sync myself using the instructions provided by Hondata. I left them a copy. They said this way was much easier compared to the way they 'normally' do it.

[soquel1]

I did stumble upon that on Hondata's site when scouring the web for information. But I don't think they'll budge. I even took my laptop to show them the article from Modified magazine when they did the exact swap on an 02 Civic Si years ago. They still did not want to budge. I'll just get K-Pro and go from there. Did they charge you to do that ? I sure hope not considering you did everything !! Lol.

Thanks for the input man.

[superchargedk20]

Looks good... As usual.. Sooooo. U gona sell me those bumpers or what.

[soquel1]

Lol, I'm gonna call Hendy Honda and get a quote for a new front one. I haven't forgot about you ! The only thing is shipping. If you were local I would hook you up. I fixed the passenger tab with PC Epoxy. That thing is SOLID now. I recommend that stuff for anybody trying to fix plastic tabs on bumpers/grilles.

[superchargedk20]

Hell yea man. Lmk what simon quotes u on new. If u can give me a fair price will take em off ur hands

[soquel1]

Cool deal. I'll see here in the next few days.

[soquel1]

Hey Ephatch, as mentioned I didn't get the wheels I wanted because they were on backorder. In fact they won't be available till March :mmad: I really didn't want to wait that long and started looking for my other favorite set. Only problem..... They don't make them anymore and are very rare to find in excellent condition. So while tuning into the Chiefs vs Colts game today I was surfing Craigslist for parts as I often do and stumbled upon my second favorite set in the color, size, bolt pattern that I was looking for !!!! :mbiggrin: The game hadn't started yet, I called the shop and told them to put them aside. And off I go hauling ass to the Bay Area to pick them up ha ha.

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/rega1_zpseae428cd.jpg

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/rega3_zpsdc4f1bbb.jpg

BNIB !!!!!

Stems and side decals:

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/rega2_zps2b2dbdf2.jpg

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/rega4_zpsb030eece.jpg

Here is a sick 96-98 Ek9 conversion that the shop had with a JDM B18 bored to 2.0..... They also had a S2K that they were working on too.

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/rega5_zpse684687d.jpg

I didn't believe they were real, I thought it was a fake ad. But I asked them to text me the Made In Russia stamp and Desmond decals. Once they did I was out the door on my way lol. Once I got there, sure enough BNIB never mounted. Turns out they were a distributor for the wheels when they were still in production. They only had this set and three others. K-Pro should arrive sometime mid week this coming week and I'll have these mounted by then as well.

[justanex1]

Nice pick up the rims. Definitely one of my top rims choice as well:mwink:

[Honda_90]

Awesome car man!!!

[usedep3]

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/rega4_zpsb030eece.jpg

Damn, so much win...

Great New Year so far, huh?

[soquel1]

Nice pick up the rims. Definitely one of my top rims choice as well:mwink:

Thanks. Yeah, definitely can't go wrong with this classic style.


Awesome car man!!!

Thanks :msmile:


http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/rega4_zpsb030eece.jpg

Damn, so much win...

Great New Year so far, huh?

Lol, yeah ! The car was in pieces sitting in the garage for 6 months in 2013 so I intend to change that in 2014. :mcool:

[soquel1]

I put the lip decals on. It was a bit scary with the first one, but the rest of them weren't that bad after.

[captaingamez]

Nice build man.

How much did you pick the Desmonds up for?


That shit with the dealership is complete BS. My buddy Ryan at Peoria Acura could do that ecu's immobilizer flash in a matter of 30 minutes. Some of the shit I have been told by dealers is absolutely ridiculous!. Shit, there is even a service procedure for it if the lazy asses had looked in their service book. I am really disappointed in Honda service/parts departments in the last few years.

At least now you hwill have Kpro, did you send you ECU in or did you get the K20A2 ecu Kpro'd?

If you got the K20A2 ecu Kpro'd, you should still get it programed to your immobilizer, that way nobody can steal your car.

[superchargedk20]

Nice build man.

How much did you pick the Desmonds up for?


That shit with the dealership is complete BS. My buddy Ryan at Peoria Acura could do that ecu's immobilizer flash in a matter of 30 minutes. Some of the shit I have been told by dealers is absolutely ridiculous!. Shit, there is even a service procedure for it if the lazy asses had looked in their service book. I am really disappointed in Honda service/parts departments in the last few years.

At least now you hwill have Kpro, did you send you ECU in or did you get the K20A2 ecu Kpro'd?

If you got the K20A2 ecu Kpro'd, you should still get it programed to your immobilizer, that way nobody can steal your car.

All thieves need is a Kpro of their own and they can steal his car

Any updates on those bumpers?

[soquel1]

Thanks !

Yeah, I was very surprised at the way they "helped" me. Not mad, just surprised lol. At the end of the day, for most car consumers it's the service that will keep them buying/sticking with a particular brand of vehicle. Most people wouldn't dare work on their own cars so they go to the dealerships. I guess we're lucky to have a forum such as this one to help us out from time to time. I worked at a hardware store in high school and through college. It didn't matter if the person was in there just to buy a small bolt or looking to renovate their whole kitchen. We helped them all as much as we could to keep them coming back.

You know, I'm not surprised that you mention Acura of Peoria being able to do the immobilizer flash because I have placed two orders with them in the past two months and their service over the phone, order processing is top drawer. I definitely recommend them for online ordering for people on the west coast. :mwink:

I did send the PRB Ecu to be Kpro'd. I should be getting it sometime this week. I've never been so anxiuos for it to be middle of the week ha ha. And yes, I will match the immobilizer with the Ecu to help with theft. I am also taking other measures to beef up the security.

[soquel1]

All thieves need is a Kpro of their own and they can steal his car

Any updates on those bumpers?

True. I am doing a couple other things to help with theft as well. This will be top priority for me at this point.

I haven't gotten out of work early enough to give them a call. It's an 8 hour difference for us on the west coast unfortunately. I am sending them an email right now......

[superchargedk20]

Hendy ebay store has it listed at about 530 shipped

[usedep3]

True. I am doing a couple other things to help with theft as well. This will be top priority for me at this point.

I haven't gotten out of work early enough to give them a call. It's an 8 hour difference for us on the west coast unfortunately. I am sending them an email right now......

It's best to email Simon directly. Even with the time difference, Simon or someone at Hendy will reply within 24 hours. Avoid the eBay listing if possible. That way you save on eBay fees at least. Depending on how big your order is, you'll want to either wire or paypal the funds. Good luck. Make sure to mention you got his info off of Ephatch. I'm hoping oneday he finds it worthwhile to become a vendor here

[soquel1]

Hendy ebay store has it listed at about 530 shipped

I pm'd you.

[soquel1]

Think I'm gonna wait on the new front for now. I still need to get tires for the Regas.

[soquel1]

Alright Ephatchers here are some updates: I received K-Pro yesterday afternoon. Oddly enough it did not arrive at my doorstep but at the tuner where I placed my order. Either way it is here.

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/Mobile%20Uploads/CAM00530_zpseb5f4e0c.jpg

Has not been installed on the whip. I did however get around to fitting the Regas. I wrapped them in brand new Nexen 215/45-17 and Muteki lug nuts. Yeah yeah I know how could I go cheap on such wheels.... But I'm kinda runnin low on dough at the moment lmao. Furthermore I do not plan to "race" the car on a track any time soon. So I can buy better tires/lugs later. Here is a pic:

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/Mobile%20Uploads/regaa1_zps4ecdd533.jpg

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/regaa2_zps1b7ab98b.jpg

Car sits a bit higher than with the 20555-16. Doesn't bug me too much....... But I'll definitely be looking into coils.

I don't think I'm going to install the K-Pro today. I've been awake since 5 am, worked for 8 hours, worked throgh my lunch just so I can get home sooner and tend to other stuff. I'm gonna get some food, I'm starving. Probably a 12 pack while I'm at it.

I will try to get some professional pics taken this weekend.

Let me know what you guys think:msmile:

[justanex1]

Cars looking dope! What kind of headlights are you going to go with?

[soquel1]

Thanks ! I plan to go with the facelift LHD CTR's for sure.

[soquel1]

I installed K-Pro yesterday morning. I just ran the stock a2 .kal. Car runs/feels great. I really like the feel of the CTR shift knob. I didn't really get on the gas as I would like to break in the new clutch a bit. This week I plan to take the car to a "referee" and smog so that I can register the car. Today I am going ditch the AEM V2 and do the Hondata intake box mod, wrap in insulating tape and extend a snorkel to the front.

[soquel1]

No professional pics but did snap this one off the phone:

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/ep31_zps202a71fb.jpg

Have an appointment scheduled with a state ref to ensure that the swap is legal and I can then register the car. The replica wing is definitely on its way out....

[Ubeyo]

dam that cars pretty! lol ctr side skirts on your future plans? and you gonna sell your old intake? lol

[Hasbro]

So clean. You've really made a lot of progress.

[soquel1]

dam that cars pretty! lol ctr side skirts on your future plans? and you gonna sell your old intake? lol

Thanks dude. Yeah skirts are on the list. The USDM ones will do for now though. I do plan on selling the AEM v2 once I am done fully fitting the modded air box. Are you interested ?

[soquel1]

So clean. You've really made a lot of progress.

Thanks Hasbro. I like your approach to suspension/handling. That is what I will focus on next. So I will be lurking your thread for sure lol.:shady:

[Ubeyo]

Kinda interested lol is it a Sri or cai?

[captaingamez]

I havent been paying attention since my last post here. I love it, everything is beautiful man.

And Peoria Acura is definitely top notch! I have someone that works there, so anything I dont want to do goes there.

[soquel1]

Kinda interested lol is it a Sri or cai?

It's the V2 so it's the short ram. Honestly I recommend the CAI but if you're interested let me know.

[soquel1]

I havent been paying attention since my last post here. I love it, everything is beautiful man.

And Peoria Acura is definitely top notch! I have someone that works there, so anything I dont want to do goes there.

Thanks ! Yeah I will continue doing business with them for sure.

[soquel1]

And the show goes on......

Just got back from a state referee. I did not pass. Let me start from the beginning....

It was at some sattelite location for a community college. I arrive, and they are testing another car prior to mine. One of the guys asks me in a rather confrontational tone: "What you put in there?" I reply: "Acura engine". He shakes his head and walks away. Once they are done with the other car, one of the guys gets in to back the car up. HE FORGOT TO TAKE THE BLOCKS OFF THE REAR WHEELS. After revving it quite a bit and not going anywhere he realizes this. This caused me some concern......

So it's my turn. They take an entire hour and here are their excuses for not passing my car:

1. The AEM V2 intake is not legal..... Even though it has the C.A.R.B. 50 state legal sticker on it. And at first he called it a "cold air intake" lmao.

2. The ECU is not legal. My guess is he is referring to K-Pro. Yet, if it was not legal how on earth would I operate the car. This seriously made me question their knowledge. I now need to go to an Acura dealership to "prove" that the ECU is legal lmao.

Oh and the same guy made the exact mistake he made with the other car..... NOT TAKING THE BLOCKS OFF prior to reversing my car.....

Circus animals lol.........

[superchargedk20]

Welcome to California! Move here man. As long as no codes it's pass

[soquel1]

Welcome to California! Move here man. As long as no codes it's pass

True that lol !

It's hilarioius because I now have to return to the dealership that did not want anything to do with me in the first place ha ha ha. I have to convince them somehow. I think I'll take in a white dry erase board and try to explain it mathematically somehow..... lmao. I'm just getting a kick out of all this.

[soquel1]

There's no turning back now lol. Full updates hopefully by the end of next week as I am awaiting parts from the U.K. and the land of the rising sun ; )

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/cage_zpscf80ec11.jpg

[superchargedk20]

Whatever happened to ur smog test issues ?

[soquel1]

Still having trouble lol. Last week I tried again. My smog passes no problem. They just look for shit to not pass you. It's so silly because I have done everything legal, provided receipts and yet they still act like assholes. It's no wonder people just say screw it and go smog illegally. Keep in mind that the BAR (Beareau of Automotive Repair.... in CA) exists to HELP consumers not bully them. I am taking it in again sometime soon and if the guy comes up with something else I am calling the manager.

[soquel1]

Hey Ephatch, here are some updates of what I've been up to the past weeks:

First off, I ordered an authentic Type R wing. Fitment is pretty spot on huh ? :mwink:

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/wing2_zps853db507.jpg

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/wing1_zpsf4f9bad6.jpg

I then removed the rear wiper assembly since I have never used the damn thing since I bought the car. Plus it was bugging the hell out of me since it just didn't look clean.

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/backglass_zpsa6ecba03.jpg

Oh and prior to both, I removed my factory tint from the rear quarter windows and of course the hatch glass.

[soquel1]

I then received my rollbar from AutoPower Industries. Shout out to LPI Racing in Livermore for the good service ! Took 3 weeks to arrive at my home in this big ass semi-truck:

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/cagetruck_zpse541017b.jpg

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/cage2_zpsdb713413.jpg

Off to the powdercoaters within the hour:

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/cage3_zps0e9140ec.jpg

[soquel1]

I then received my new seats !!! I was super excited about this one.....

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/seatbox_zpsc47dc29f.jpg

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/seatbadge_zpseb0e5bd2.jpg

Installed:

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/seats1_zpsf40f3282.jpg

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/seats2_zps073f6e82.jpg

I opted with the Red Buddy Club P-1's. I had my heart set on the OEM Ep3 Type R seats. Yet could not find a set clean enough and in good enough condition to justify the prices people were asking. While shopping around for seats I saw these and wondered why they were so cheap in price. So I figured I would give them a try. They are mounted with Buddy Club Super Low Down seat rails. They fit fairly snug and I am kind of slender..... anybody else should get the "wide" version.

Only thing I am waiting for are my harnesses !!! : ( I ordered those around 6 weeks ago. I called the supplier and I have to wait another 2-3 weeks. Ahh well.

[soquel1]

I will take better pictures soon as it's raining out at the moment. Full suspension overhaul now in the works. Stay tuned :mcool:

[soquel1]

Picture from today. Yada yada yada you get the picture lol.

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/driveway_zps8b27bb42.jpg

[soquel1]

What's up ep hatch haven't updated in quite a bit but have been hanging around the site and posting when/where possible. Let us continue to contribute to this forum as the information and experience you find here, you will NEVER find on such things as Facebook or Instagram. ... Anyways I've been a bit busy with work and travelling a bit. I finally received my second set of harnesses THREE months after the first. Keep in mind I ordered the first set back in February, received in May. Then had to re-order the passenger set. I received those in August lol. Anyways, very happy with the product and didn't mind the wait. Shout out to Pegasus Racing out of Wisconsin for these:

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/Mobile%20Uploads/CAM00649_zps53e5cc30.jpg

Finished product/installed:

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/Mobile%20Uploads/CAM00664_zps44251f98.jpg

My inspiration for the whole contrast of the paint/wheels/interior etc is the wonderfully done Ek9 up in the PNW. Yoontime's Ek build ; ) And a little help from some Ephatchers of course ; ) I just spent 4 hours doing a total detail on the car. I spent about a week researching and reading on the best practices so I'm fairly happy with my results. I shall post better pictures soon. Until then.

[justanex1]

Looks really phooking awesome! How do you like the buddy club seats?

[soquel1]

Thanks brotha. I love the seats. They're comfy and snug. Pricing is reasonable too. Your bay is coming along very nicely. Have you checked out RCG's red DC2 ? He also used gold in his bay.

I'm going to try and start tearing into the suspension so I can make it out to the track late this year or early next. What's the use of fixing up your whip if it just sits in the garage right ?

[justanex1]

Thanks man. I sent my stuff off right as RC was reviling there DC2 was a little upset cause I had a lot of great ideas. So now I don't want to copy any one so it's back to the drawing board lol

[soquel1]

Ah I say you go for it !

[soquel1]

Hey Ephatch, took some pictures over the weekend. I think the suspension overhaul will be put on the back burner for the time being as I am saving to purchase a house. Getting rid of a bunch of stuff, sport bike, things I don't need. Hitting the track early next year might still be plausible. Time will tell. In the mean time, here are these decent pics done by some amateurs. Excuse the corny one with me in it. I liked the view of the car in that one. Enjoy.

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/Mobile%20Uploads/20141116_150156_zps2e54bbbc.jpg

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/Mobile%20Uploads/20141116_150611_zps3100b548.jpg

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/Mobile%20Uploads/20141116_150704_zpsfc5f28c9.jpg

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/Mobile%20Uploads/20141116_150513_zps56dfec1d.jpg

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/Mobile%20Uploads/20141116_151123_zps9ec6a718.jpg

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/Mobile%20Uploads/20141116_150548_zps121e3c16.jpg

[maksym]

Nice ride man. So the mugen cover actually fits the 02-03 mirror, or you swapped the 04-05 one? Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Any special modifications needed to swap it over, if you did have to swap them? Thanks

[soquel1]

Nice ride man. So the mugen cover actually fits the 02-03 mirror, or you swapped the 04-05 one? Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Any special modifications needed to swap it over, if you did have to swap them? Thanks

Thanks maksym. I purchased the mirror cover years ago and at the time didn't know that it wouldn't fit my 02 mirror. It comes with very thin double sided tape from Mugen and doesn't cover the mirror 100%. Not enough to bug me though. Since I spent 65-70 bucks on the thing I said screw it, I can live with it. Although at that time I was dailying my car and the road vibrations eventually got to the thin double sided tape and the cover began to rattle quite a bit. What I did was bought some 3M double sided tape and put two strips on the top portion of the mirror. It's been over 2 1/2 years now and hasn't caused trouble. Love the way it looks. You should give it a try I think you'll be satisfied. If you would like, I can take a picture of the portion of the mirror that's not covered. Let me know.

[maksym]

Id really appreciate it if you could do that for me. Thanks a lot man.

[soquel1]

Id really appreciate it if you could do that for me. Thanks a lot man.

You got it bud here you go. The other side (nearest passenger) does not stick out.

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/Mobile%20Uploads/20141119_155245_zpsc3abd88d.jpg

[monjarassi]

looking good

[maksym]

Thanks a lot man.

[soquel1]

looking good

Thanks Martin. Im very happy with the way the car sits at the moment. I'm gonna chill out for a bit then go all out on suspension. Been peeking at your thread here and there and must say your execution is that of a well thought out build.:mcool:


Thanks a lot man.

You got it brotha. Hope you staying warm in Chicago. I visit every summer as I have lots of family there and in the burbs. Cool people in that city, honestly. I dont think ill ever visit during the winter time though lol.

[soquel1]

Hey Ephatch, man is it lonesome around here. Haven't been up to much with the Ep3 just put the Union Jack emblem on the hatch... What do you think yay or nay ??? I'm on the fence about it.

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/CAM00788_zpsae13a900.jpg

I did however start on the Ek hatchback. Reason being that I recently found OEM parts for it on Craigslist ha ha ha. I will also start to daily it once again. My dad had been using it and he thrashed the poor thing. I found OEM Em1 front grille and a lip as well. The grille was in mint condition. The lip has a chunk missing off the bottom passenger side but once mounted it will not be noticeable. I got them for a steel of a price so I jumped on them. My plan for this car as with the Ep3 is an almost full Type R conversion with authentic OEM parts. I attempted to put garbage replica parts for it as you see in the pictures earlier in the thread but the fitment and quality was awful.

I had to remove the front bumper in order to fix a badly broken tab on passenger side. My dad had the thing zip tied on. I used some epoxy and a strip of plastic to fix it. (Didn't take pictures of the fix unfortunately). As you can see the car is dirty and has seen better days.

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/CAM00801_zps46c660c0.jpg

I removed the side skirts as the paint was coming off in large flakes. The previous owner of the car did a terrible job in painting it. I will eventually paint the whole car. But one thing at a time.

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/CAM00800_zps2dc5893d.jpg

Prepping the side skirts for paint.

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/CAM00803_zpsb8124bd4.jpg

Here is the OEM Em1 grille and front lip. They were originally Em1 EBP and Em1 Red. I sanded them and shot them with Em1 FBP (Flamenco Black Pearl). This was before I would have wet sanded and polished them.

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/CAM00802_zps2750972e.jpg

Hopefully I will post up some pics of the completed work by the end of the week. I had to order an OEM Type R rear lip from overseas since those are hard to come by around here. That will take a while to arrive. Funny how I got motivation with the Ep3 by finding some decently priced OEM parts on Craigslist some years back. Here we go again, heh.

[soquel1]

Took a quick 15 minute drive to the foothills today and snapped some pics. I enjoy viewing cars in natural settings. First picture is of a reservoir that is bone dry. The water used to be up to the bushes by the white rocks on the bottom of the picture. The drought is really that bad out west.

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/CAM00810_zpszpfkgeqc.jpg

The rest of the pics are of course the Ek. I am satisfied with my work. I just need to rebuff the front lip to bring out more luster. JDM rear fit like a glove. Decent for a lil' daily car I guess.

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/CAM00812_zpsopdwyhdw.jpg

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/CAM00817_zpszxks5mxy.jpg

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/CAM00819_zpsnzpjtujn.jpg

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/CAM00820-1_zpsgekzgfxh.jpg

Strange how the East coast has been pounded by snow and we can't even get a decent rain storm. I spotted some very nice locations for pictures to take of the Ep3. That will be soon. I just have to give it a good wash and detail. At the moment it is blanketed by a nice film of dust.

[Hasbro]

Love your little ek!

[Honda_90]

Did you use spray cans? Car is looking nice man!

[soquel1]

Love your little ek!

Thanks Hasbro. I love this little thing too. Even with the single cam motor the car feels very nimble. With a B series swap this thing would be some crazy fun. That won't be til long from now though.


Did you use spray cans? Car is looking nice man!

I did ! Took my time over the course of 4 days to let the base coat dry then wet sand then shot the parts with clear then wet sand and ended with 3M rubbing compound. The grille, skirts came out really good. The front lip however I need to do more work on. It simply has too many rock chips. Thanks bud !

[Honda_90]

Nice so it was a clear with hardener? Im thinking of doing little peices on my ep3 but dont want to take to a shop and pay an arm and a leg.

[soquel1]

Nice so it was a clear with hardener? Im thinking of doing little peices on my ep3 but dont want to take to a shop and pay an arm and a leg.

I didn't use hardener. I feel you on the prices. Paint and body work is very expensive. I did the same process on my replica Type R wing on the Ep3 a number of years back. It came out pretty damn good. The shine lasted until I sold the wing. But long term I would definitely go all out. I am really getting into detailing/painting and such. I am looking into getting my own equipment. I knew a guy that basically flipped cars. Bought them cheap, did necessary mechanical work and he knew body work/painting as well. I am looking into something like that maybe not sure yet. I for sure want to know how to paint though.

[soquel1]

Hello all. Hope everyone is swell. I have some updates with my projects, well the Ek (Ej6) primarily. I am uploading a great deal of pictures and have plenty to write and detail. Hopefully I can start some kind of discourse with members and possibly encourage them to be motivated and continue visiting the site. I will only say this for now; I did indeed learn how to paint cars with a proper spray setup. I painted the daily and it came out pretty decent for a first time. I will detail costs/my personal procedure as much as I can.

I am taking the time to upload the appropriate pictures so bare with me as this may take a day or two.

Once again, hope all the Ephatchers are doing well, old and new.

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/Mobile%20Uploads/CAM00879_zpsxlhglyob.jpg

[soquel1]

Alright here I go attempting to update the aforementioned daily hatchback.... There were many more photos but I shortened it down so as to eliminate any redundancy.

Back in early February I ordered an OEM Type R rear wing. The original color was championship white so I rattle canned it black so it could semi-match the car. I prepped, sprayed black base, clear, then wet sanded and buffed.

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/Mobile%20Uploads/20151226_175126_zpscznw5hhm.jpg

Here's a pic of where it came from. I like keeping things like this. Knowing how far it traveled I find cool, call me a dork I dunno.

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/Mobile%20Uploads/20151226_175155_zpsi20ihd5d.jpg

I purchased this beauty in early May as I knew I wanted to eventually paint the car and it never hurts to have some new tools : ) I got a great reduced price as the shroud covering the motor is all out of shape. I can easlily take it off and adjust/fix it so I went ahead and took advantage of the price !

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/Mobile%20Uploads/CAM00877_zpsgm8ytywj.jpg

I then tackled changing the clutch and flywheel out. Since I received the car, I put over 100k miles on it and failed to ask the owner if he had changed out the clutch. It felt good but since this was my daily car I wanted to be on the safe side. The whole process wasn't too bad plus I saved a considerable amount of money doing it myself plus I learned something new and that's what matters most to me. Here is when I dropped the tranny.

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/Mobile%20Uploads/CAM00861_zpsb0lc66na.jpg

The process was painless except when getting the damn tranny back on. It was perfectly aligned with the centering tool but I could not get the damned thing lined up perfectly with the splines on the flywheel for it to "pop" in. I got it eventually though and was a happy camper. I also purchased a new impact gun because I first tried to remove the axle nuts by hand/with a breaker bar.... Yeah that didn't work. I was amazed at how easily the damn thing removed that axle nut when I was struggling for a good 3 hours with PB Blaster/4 foot pipe and lots of foul language.

[soquel1]

Let me introduce you all to my helper during the summer....... Chubs, the backyard bunny. Here she is taking a break in the shade after doing some serious wrenching....

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/Mobile%20Uploads/CAM00890_zps6hyvxlsg.jpg

As mentioned, the desire to learn how to paint cars was itching away at me for quite some time. For a year I actively began to purchase DIY books off Amazon and I watched countless videos from YouTube on the process. All I can say is that I have the utmost respect for the trade and it truly is an art. I opened a whole new world of things to learn and I haven't even scratched the surface. Here is the spray setup I purchased. It is an "LVLP" setup. Similar to HVLP but is supposed to be easier on your compressor but after using it I am not so sure I would concur.... My 33 gallon compressor was kicking on quite a bit. MINIMUM for painting a car as far as compressors go is 30 gallon. But many would argue that CFM output is a more important number. Either way I would have loved to purchase a 60 gallon compressor but I simply did not have the space for such a large tool in my garage.

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/Mobile%20Uploads/CAM00885_zps9gzztvxa.jpg

For those of you that are wondering if you should do it yourself, I say you should. If you have patience, the space to do it you really can beat learning something new and having the satisfaction of telling people "yeah, I did that".

I purchased OEM JDM thin side mouldings for the car but I didn't think it was necessary to post a pic of that. I then purchased an air sander and tons of prepping material to go ahead and move forward with my DIY paint job. Here is the product that I used:

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/Mobile%20Uploads/CAM00888_zpsecm9u8ov.jpg

My cost of paint, without materials ? A whopping $140. Yes I could have gone to MAACO for $299 but you never know what you're going to get. Plus that is a single stage paint without clear. Granted, there are excellent paint jobs out there that are single stage etc. I just wanted to be on the safe side. I almost didn't really need a whole paint job but every time I washed the car with the pressure nozzle, large flakes of clear coat would fly off and expose the base coat on sections of the car. That bugged me. Tremendously.

*** DISCLAIMER *** Even with all the research I did I simply did not do enough. I got too excited for the project and "jumped the gun" so to speak. Would I use this paint again ? A resounding NO !!! This is an acrylic lacquer and from what I have read this requires an experienced painter to lay on smooth without excessive orange peel. And boy did I end up with orange peel. Some areas like the fenders and rear hatch came out great. But the rest of the car I honestly could have done with rattle cans it looked so terrible. More on that in a bit. Here are some pics of prep work.

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/Mobile%20Uploads/CAM00865-1_zpsth7m9572.jpg

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/Mobile%20Uploads/CAM00866_zpsgwyqcnuo.jpg

So I only sanded down the clear and base without a primer. Why ? It was my clear that was coming off and the base was still adhering to the metal very well. It's a bit of a gamble but since I was doing it myself and the paint didn't exactly burn a hole though my pocket I went forward with it. There is debate on this as well. But I figured I would roll the dice. All in all the prep wasn't that difficult. The pneumatic sander definitely helped expedite the process...

[soquel1]

While prepping the car I had ordered some new wheels from TireRack. I went with 15" as I think 15s look best on the EG, Ek chassis. I went with Enkei GT-7 and wrapped them in generic brand tires at a local shop when they arrived.

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/Mobile%20Uploads/20160620_122846_zps3rwbovfw.jpg

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/Mobile%20Uploads/20160620_123107_zpsivytapwe.jpg

I also ordered a set of new coilovers. I went with a non-adjustable (dampening) TruHart setup. They were only $400. They have yet to make any noises so I am ok with them at the moment. But for $400 what is one to expect ? With the Ep3 I will definitely purchase a nice set. No pics of the TruHart though. I adjusted them pretty much as low as they can go. The car is much lower than it was. Not slammed though.

As I mentioned, I wasn't quite prepared to learn how expansive auto painting was. There are so many variables involved, air temperature, humidity, gun pressure, type of paint, spray setup, etc. the list goes on and on. There is no other way to learn but to do it !!! Make mistakes, learn. Many of you will not have access to a spray booth and neither did I. I set up tarps and used Rubbermaid trashcans with weights to set up a temporary booth.

I concluded that I would not recommend the above listed paint for others to use based on what other people have said about that specific product AND the type of product (Acrylic lacquer). I ordered it off Zoro.com but afterward I noticed that AutoZone has a Duplicolor product that is also (acrylic lacquer), ready to spray like the Rustoleum product and shares the exact same color names as the Rustoleum product. Maybe they have become the same company, not sure. A quick Google search would surely solve that.

When I do it again I will use a more pricey 2k, 2 stage paint with a high solids clear. It costs much more but when you lay your clear coat, it almost looks like glass. I had to wet sand the entire car with 1500 grit, then 2000 grit to knock down all the terrible orange peel. I topped it off with 3000 trizact paper. Then followed with rubbing compound and a buffer. All in all, I am very happy with what I ended up with. I still need to buff out the hood and roof because I had to respray clear on those areas. Those two were very hard to get right for some reason. Here are some end result pics....

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/Mobile%20Uploads/CAM00875_zps3mvglvdz.jpg

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/Mobile%20Uploads/2016-08-29%2016.17.58_zpsccddupb0.jpg

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/Mobile%20Uploads/CAM00876_zpsv48t9h6u.jpg

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/Mobile%20Uploads/CAM00873_zpswbhweeek.jpg

This is the best pic to illustrate the level "stance" of the car. The other pics are on an uneven driveway.

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/Mobile%20Uploads/CAM00879_zpsxlhglyob.jpg

Here is a close up of the paint itself. There is quite a bit of metallic flake in it. I was concerned it was too much at first but I'm coming around. It's mostly silver flake but there is some red and blue flake at certain light/times of the day. I guess I like that it's a bit different.

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/Mobile%20Uploads/CAM00883_zpsbvqxrike.jpg

And finally, here is another picture of Chubs when all was said and done. I think she approved. The sandpaper was put away, the wrenches were back in their boxes, the dust had settled and all was peaceful again. Heh.

http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w494/callicrates1/Mobile%20Uploads/20160623_195804_zpsbzpmjqsn.jpg

Let me know what you guys think. If there are some experienced painters on here I would very much like to hear from your expertise.

Cheers.