Black & Green modding thread (1998 Civic DX Coupe base)

[freebeard]

I've used it on car bumpers and wheels. Mainly because it's hard to get paint to stick to chrome. The bumpers get more abuse than the wheels. It needs 4 or 5 coats to be thick enough to resist abrasion. If it chips, I hear you can feather the edge with a finger dipped in gasoline, and then respray it.

Clear coat protects against UV? It seems unlikely.

[California98Civic]

Hey, is that beetle yours? Beautiful. What is the roof rack extension for?
Surfboards? Love that yellow, whit, and chrome on the wheels. Man I miss my Mom's '75 bug. My brother had a '60 and a '62 for years.

Four or five coats of plasti is a lot. I could try that. It sure would be fun to have superior clean looking wheels to contrast the rotting (not linseed oiled) paint job on my civic.

UV stabilized clear coat will protect. I used some to patch flaking clear coat on my wife's still very clean 2010 subaru. I used Eastwood's activated spray can clear coat ("spray gun in a can"). Eastwood claims this: " Eastwood automotive clear coat protects against weathering, ultraviolet rays and everyday wear, leaving your car with a long-lasting, beautifully deep, finish."

...so after patch I cleaned the yellow on hers and my headlights and sprayed them too... Eight months later and all still crystal.

EDIT: JUST NOTICED THIS product on the Eastwood site: https://www.eastwood.com/elastiwrap-...CABEgJ7oPD_BwE

[freebeard]

Hey, is that beetle yours?

Yes, currently. It will be available for sale later this year, to finance purchase of an Arcimoto FUV (I'm holding a reservation number that should come up in the latter half of the year). It could be yours.



The plan is to put these OEM Marathon wheels on it. I'm going to powder-coat them satin black and then Plastidip the centers. Possibly wood-grained like an old wooden spoke wheel.

Then bump the price by $1K or more. The roof rack and bike rack aren't usually on there together (Belt and suspenders?). I was looking for the geometry of a full boat tail. Once the [wake-board handles] were cut, it would go down around the beltline.

edit: on for in

[California98Civic]

Mostly cleaning today, but I have big maintainence and significant modding planned.

Teaser for me... Wheels as they will (sorta) look on my car.

http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...1&d=1518998319

[19bonestock88]

4-5 coats of plasti-dip sound like a lot but it really does help with adhesion and it flaking off... I’ve had a few items dipped and never any real issues... when applied thick enough it holds on well enough...

[freebeard]

Thicker is better.

[California98Civic]

Originally Posted by 19bonestock88

4-5 coats of plasti-dip sound like a lot but it really does help with adhesion and it flaking off... I’ve had a few items dipped and never any real issues... when applied thick enough it holds on well enough...

I got the clear plastidip. Looking forward to this attempt. Did some white lettering paint on the tires.

My driverside door has been deteriorating for years: tint installer cracked indoor panel, I cracked indoor panel, the window crank operation was deteriorating, the arm rest cloth was faded unevenly, and then a couple months ago the outside door lever broke (again).

All those repairs finished today.

The best repair is the crank. To get it to roll up smoothly, I made a "washer" using old bike innertube sections and a little silicone lube spray into the crank shaft bearing housing. IT WORKS LIKE NEW NOW! I am shocked and happy.

EDIT: just to show off clean door card. There were two very visible crushed and cracked sections that showed though the soft-touch surface badly. I fiberglassed the back to get it smooth again. The arm rest was blotchy & faded, exterior door latch was broken, and the window crank was cranky. Fixed and cleaned.

[freebeard]

Pix as the weather allows?

The Dasher's driver door needs

window crank
door check stop
remote mirror lever
door panel uncurled
outside handle function
3/4 weatherstrip from back top of door to lower hinge
dent from over-extension on opening

....hmmm. Note to myself I quess.

[California98Civic]

Originally Posted by freebeard

Pix as the weather allows?

The Dasher's driver door needs

window crank
door check stop
remote mirror lever
door panel uncurled
outside handle function
3/4 weatherstrip from back top of door to lower hinge
dent from over-extension on opening

....hmmm. Note to myself I quess.

I didn't take any process pics because they ain't mods, but I will snap a pic of the rehabbed door later and post. And that's a long list of little repairs you have, there. They sure pile-up over time, eh? I took out my remote lever and have occasionally considered putting it back.

My window crank and crank-shaft McGiver repair is maybe worth a pic. So I might remove the door crank just to get a pic of the "washer" I made with two overlaid sections of used bike innertube I had laying around. It operates like OEM new now and I needed to expend zero cash.

[freebeard]

I asked mainly for the clear Plastidip.

I inherited the problems with a car I traded a set of wheels for, so basically no complaints. I have a new window crank handle, but it's held by a screw in the center and I can't figure out how to peel back the 'safety' cover. But it lives in the center console and pops right on. Once the Superbeetle sells it will get more attention.