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View Full Version : crx rebirth - poor mans paint job



TurboD
04-09-2009, 07:27 PM
after my last crx was crashed ( http://forums.beyond.ca/st/230713/crx-is-gone/ ) i picked up a new crx and swapped over all my good parts as well as a few extra i picked up.....this is my progress.

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/new_crx/DSCF1176.jpg
http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/flares/DSCF1273.jpg
http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/flares/DSCF1275.jpg
http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/flares/DSCF1276.jpg
http://www.modelexis.com/HT/CRXstg1/DSCF1279.jpg
http://www.modelexis.com/HT/CRXstg1/DSCF1280.jpg
http://www.modelexis.com/HT/CRXstg1/DSCF1281.jpg
http://www.modelexis.com/HT/CRXstg1/DSCF1282.jpg
http://www.modelexis.com/HT/CRXstg1/DSCF1284.jpg
http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/flares/DSCF1285.jpg
http://www.modelexis.com/HT/CRXstg1/DSCF1286.jpg
http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/flares/DSCF1287.jpg
http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/flares/DSCF1288.jpg
http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/flares/DSCF1289.jpg
http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/flares/DSCF1290.jpg
http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/flares/DSCF1291.jpg
http://www.modelexis.com/HT/CRXstg1/DSCF1293.jpg
http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/flares/DSCF1295.jpg
http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/flares/DSCF1296.jpg
http://www.modelexis.com/crx/flares/DSCF1297.jpg

Redlyne_mr2
04-09-2009, 07:44 PM
Car looks good in white you should create a build thread in the garage.:thumbsup:

zipdoa
04-09-2009, 07:49 PM
edit: nm, vinyl wrap... how much does this cost to do? what kinda prep is involved?

Jlude
04-09-2009, 07:52 PM
looks good to me man

black13
04-09-2009, 07:57 PM
Originally posted by zipdoa
edit: nm, vinyl wrap... how much does this cost to do? what kinda prep is involved?
Also interested. Is there alot of bubbles?

TurboD
04-09-2009, 08:01 PM
forgot to touch on the specifics of the vinyl wrap.

to be clear, i am not a business, i dont do this for a living, and i dont own a shop and i cannot work on your car.

i did this in my parkade by myself and bought my own material. i attended a seminar to learn the skills to do this.

i paid $350 for 54" x 12 yards (36 feet) of white car wrap vinyl as well as clear laminate made by Oracal
bought here in calgary from all graphics supplies. (i lucked out and they had a partial roll in stock, usually they only stock full rolls)

so 350 for the entire thing, no bubbles, car wrap vinyl is specially made to avoid bubbles 100%.

anyway, i can answer q's on the process but i dont do this for a living.

prep includes clay bar and wiped down with alcohol and water.


still to come - power windows, rear seat install, dohc + turbo, and suspension.

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/flares/DSCF1877.jpg

to this

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/flares/DSCF1960.jpg


http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/flares/DSCF1967.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/flares/DSCF1970.jpg

and final product

its got some ugly rust on the corners of the fenders, the vinyl is temporary until i can afford to fix the car correctly (cut and welding in new rear wheel arches)

http://www.modelexis.com/HT/spring09/DSCF2071.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/HT/spring09/DSCF2072.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/HT/spring09/DSCF2074.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/HT/spring09/DSCF2078.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/HT/spring09/DSCF2079.jpg

psycoticclown
04-09-2009, 08:01 PM
Nice work!

SR240SX
04-09-2009, 08:03 PM
That looks amazing....

How long did it take roughly to do the whole car?

zipdoa
04-09-2009, 08:04 PM
Impressive, did you just have to windex the panels first? I want to do this to my bimmer in black to save time / $$$

TurboD
04-09-2009, 08:05 PM
roughly took 25 hours of labour over a weekend and two evenings

here are some unexpected additions to the project
after all, its winter and what else is there to do but search the web for deals on rare parts?

these came from the UK...
i got a package deal from a 1.5x that was being parted out
velvet door cards, power window switches, harness, motor, arms, and a jdm rear seat

for this bundle i paid 270$CAD

the rear seat had some black duct tape on the top of the seat back covering some nasty tears in the vinyl. I dont have any before pictures, i wish i would have remembered to take them but i didn't.

so anyway, there is an upholstery shop 10 feet from where i work so i brought them the seat back and had them re-do it.
while it was stripped they gave me the metal frame as it was covered in a thick powder layer of rust over the entire thing.

so i took it to the shop and removed all the rust with a wheel and some spongy sanding pads until i had all the rust removed. next i coated the frame with flat black rust paint to try and slow the process so it doesn't come back too soon.

turned out ok, the paint can i got i think had shitty paint in it because it left a bit of a rough texture, and spattered quite a bit, but it got the job done so i guess who cares.

if anyone knows where to get plastic release knobs that go on the top of the seat back let me know because i need two of them, as you can see from the pictures..

http://www.modelexis.com/HT/jdmparts/DSCF1827.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/HT/jdmparts/DSCF1828.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/HT/jdmparts/DSCF1829.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/HT/jdmparts/DSCF1834.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/HT/jdmparts/DSCF1835.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/HT/jdmparts/DSCF1836.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/HT/jdmparts/DSCF1837.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/HT/jdmparts/DSCF1838.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/HT/jdmparts/DSCF1839.jpg


these i got before xmas, paid about 35USD for brand new oem rear flaps with hardware.

http://www.modelexis.com/HT/jdmparts/DSCF1782.jpg

Today i finally got around to doing the wiring to do the conversion from 2 bulbs to one single h4h bulb in my sir headlights.

tried to give more of a crap than i usually give when doing wiring, took my time and did it right imo.

pictures show the process it takes to make them covered with this odd snake skin like loom, i had to use solder wire to make a temporary brace to hold the stupid thing together in a compressed state while i made the connections.

http://www.modelexis.com/HT/build/DSCF1851.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/HT/build/DSCF1843.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/HT/build/DSCF1844.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/HT/build/DSCF1845.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/HT/build/DSCF1848.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/HT/build/DSCF1858.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/HT/build/DSCF1860.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/flares/DSCF1869.jpg
(couldnt use the headlights in a picture, too bright in such a dark parkade)
http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/flares/DSCF1877.jpg

SR240SX
04-09-2009, 08:14 PM
So you just lay it on a panel, use a heat gun and some kinda squeege to get it on?

TurboD
04-09-2009, 08:32 PM
Originally posted by SR240SX
So you just lay it on a panel, use a heat gun and some kinda squeege to get it on?

in a nutshell, sure. google if you want more info on wraps, there is tons of info out there and many different techniques

btw, i dont think it sticks to primer ;)

zipdoa
04-09-2009, 08:36 PM
Originally posted by TurboD


in a nutshell, sure. google if you want more info on wraps, there is tons of info out there and many different techniques

btw, i dont think it sticks to primer ;)

so you just threw this RIGHT on top of the current paint... and all you did to prep was clean it with windex?

911fever
04-09-2009, 08:47 PM
Originally posted by zipdoa


so you just threw this RIGHT on top of the current paint... and all you did to prep was clean it with windex?

TurboD
04-09-2009, 08:50 PM
yes, the factory paint remains, if you were to remove the vinyl it would look like the first pic in this thread

its no different from a clear bra, only its not clear and it covers all the paint on the entire vehicle

so anyway, starting fresh, a bit more knowledge.

i was at home depot getting some wall hooks and i stolled past the chair leg protector section and i noticed some black plastic plugs...so after further investigation (i had crx on the brain already) i decided i was gonna buy a pack and give it a shot as a replacement collar from the large one i had already.

so i bought them (pack of 4 for about 2.50$ (a quarter the price of the oem honda ones i bought previously)) so i couldn't lose, i had 4 now so i could fuck up two of them and still be golden!

so i went to work, first test fit showed they were too tall by about an 1/8th of an inch, so i cut off a bit (already had a line)
next they fit nice, so i proceeded to drill a pilot hole with a drill and then dremel out the hole to make it large enough for the shaft to fit in.

no real issues here, quick and easy, fit great and here is the finished product, they are the exact same size as the actual jdm crx ones and they look OEM.

who would know they are from Home depot for 2.50$?

http://www.modelexis.com/HT/CRXstg1/DSCF1930.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/HT/CRXstg1/DSCF1932.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/HT/CRXstg1/DSCF1933.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/HT/CRXstg1/DSCF1934.jpg

so forget everything i posted in that first diy

top_speed
04-11-2009, 10:29 PM
^ sick car dude i saw you today at tim horton beside deerfoot

badatusrnames
04-11-2009, 10:42 PM
Originally posted by zipdoa
so you just threw this RIGHT on top of the current paint... and all you did to prep was clean it with windex?


Originally posted by TurboD
prep includes clay bar and wiped down with alcohol and water.

zipdoa
04-11-2009, 10:52 PM
he edited that in and added it after ^^ but thanks

Ukyo8
04-11-2009, 11:35 PM
That looks good :thumbsup:

TurboD
04-13-2009, 01:52 PM
Originally posted by top_speed
^ sick car dude i saw you today at tim horton beside deerfoot

thanks a lot, it badly needs a suspension setup, but at least the car is one solid color.

i had some random guy that lives in an apt complex next to me drive up and ask me what happened to my green car, that took a bit of explaining, haha.

updates with pics?

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/hnr-june09/DSCF2155.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/hnr-june09/DSCF2156.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/hnr-june09/DSCF2158.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/hnr-june09/DSCF2160.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/hnr-june09/DSCF2164.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/hnr-june09/DSCF2165.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/hnr-june09/DSCF2169.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/hnr-june09/DSCF2175.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/hnr-june09/DSCF2178.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/hnr-june09/DSCF2179.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/hnr-june09/DSCF2181.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/hnr-june09/DSCF2182.jpg


http://www.modelexis.com/img/havoc/DSCF2251.jpg


a picture to show off my newly mounted wing - painted trim black.
very subtle accent to the car.

http://www.modelexis.com/HT/whitecrx/DSCF2288-sm.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/HT/whitecrx/DSCF2289-sm.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/HT/whitecrx/DSCF2276-sm.jpg

and a sneak peak at 2010


http://www.modelexis.com/HT/whitecrx/DSCF2276-sm2.jpg

89s1
04-13-2009, 02:09 PM
Looking good. Can't wait for the engine and turbo install.

To a couple of the respondants: FWIW windex will harm cars paint. Don't clean your cars paint with windex.

TurboD
04-14-2009, 01:25 PM
if i would have known this would be moved to the garage i would have actually made a build thread....

TurboD
10-13-2009, 11:45 PM
bump, I finally got around to making a build thread, and i ran out of posts to edit and add pictures.

but here are a few pics of my initial fender flare test fit with the wider stance.

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/flares/DSCF2322.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/flares/DSCF2323.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/flares/DSCF2325.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/flares/DSCF2329.jpg

I just need to lower the car about a foot before I can start to actually place the flares and prepare to trim, mount and cut the underfender.

It may look a bit ugly now, try to save the final crits on the flares for when the car is lowered and flares are trimmed.

right now it doesn't look like much but I have a feeling the car will all come together once its on the ground.:burnout:


Now I've gotta spend all winter pondering whether I wanna widen the rear to match and either try to get the tires to clear the fender or get flares for the rear as well.

v2kai
10-14-2009, 12:34 AM
very good looking build on your crx, the pw windows must have a been a bitch to wire and set up right. mad props.

very clean build, looking sweet. the fender flares and suspension will top this off. i'd say flare the rears to match the fronts but if possible maybe a little slimmer so it's subtle but still carries through the lines of the car from front to back. everything you've done so far is top notch:clap:

subscribed.

narou
10-14-2009, 12:50 AM
Wow this is an amazing build.. You made this car look so clean!

TurboD
10-14-2009, 09:45 AM
The DOHC ZC Turbo is installed and functional.

I have a few projects that I'm planning over the winter:

1. Mount intercooler and fab up custom pipes

2. Save up and buy Koni Yellows and GC setup w/ top hats

3. Rear sway bar

4. Buy Odyssey battery and frame holder

P_D
10-17-2009, 08:37 PM
that looks to be a wicked setup, good luck with the winter installs

TimeAttack
01-20-2010, 08:57 PM
Winter update:

The pics speak for themselves.

If anyone wants details on any of the process post up and I will add a small writeup.

Details:
ARP Studs 100-7701 - GM - 7/16" - 20
Pulled the hub with a slide hammer
Exactly enough thread on the stud after it goes through the spacer
Brembo blanks (70$ each)

Enjoy:

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/studs/DSCF2485.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/studs/DSCF2486.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/studs/DSCF2488.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/studs/DSCF2489.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/studs/DSCF2490.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/studs/DSCF2492.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/studs/DSCF2494.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/studs/DSCF2496.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/studs/DSCF2500.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/studs/DSCF2501.jpg

I'm still saving for all the mods I listed in my previous thread, but I need a part time job before I can go ahead with all of it.

spacerz
01-20-2010, 09:41 PM
ooo looking nice! would you mind me asking where you got those spacers!?

peterparker
01-20-2010, 09:49 PM
Originally posted by TurboD
]

I just need to lower the car about a foot before I can start to actually place the flares and prepare to trim, mount and cut the underfender.

found that quite hilarious




ooo looking nice! would you mind me asking where you got those spacers!?
haha spacerz is asking about spacers! ziing

all in all car looks amazing, i love those wheels

TimeAttack
01-20-2010, 09:49 PM
Originally posted by spacerz
ooo looking nice! would you mind me asking where you got those spacers!?

Thanks for the comment, they are H&R 25mm spacers and I bought them used off a member on the board (pruls).

I also forgot to add this update to my build:

My old sparco from the red CRX I'm getting ready to prep for the new car.
Im thinking about remaking the custom rails to raise the seat up a bit as it sat very low in the red CRX, almost too low.

Won't be installing this gem until I get a cage installed.

Right now i'm doing everything I can to dial in enough money to roll out spring time with a slammed crx with a nice wide stance.

http://modelexis.com/img/crx/takata/DSCF2370.jpg


http://modelexis.com/img/crx/takata/DSCF2372.jpg


http://modelexis.com/img/crx/takata/DSCF2373.jpg

suprame
01-21-2010, 12:43 AM
Originally posted by TimeAttack


http://modelexis.com/img/crx/takata/DSCF2370.jpg

Right now i'm doing everything I can to dial in enough money to roll out spring time with a slammed crx with a nice wide stance.




i love your build. i wish i could do my own vinyl wrap. im so jealous. but hey if you wanna sell that pretty harness to contribute to your wide stance funds lemme know ;)

89s1
01-21-2010, 04:02 PM
Lookin good :thumbsup:

TimeAttack
01-21-2010, 06:17 PM
I'm absolutely exhausted.....

Began the reassembly today, didn't go as hot as I was hoping, but I had a good feeling there was something that could go wrong.


greased up the hub for re-entry, pushed it into the axel splines, and tried to seat it into the wheel bearing enough to get the axle nut threaded even the slightest.

Didn't work at all being nice, so i had to create a center area that I could pound with a hammer to get it into the bearing enough to get it started....

This went ok on the first side, I won't know if I ruined anything until I drive the car, but when I went onto the other side to do the same, the bearing ring on the inside of the wheel bearing seperated from its seat and was traveling in and out of the bearing, so i could push the hub all the way in, but it would just push the inner ring out the other side along with the axel.

This made it impossible to get any force into pressing it into the bearing ring. I ended up putting vice grips around the axle to hold it solid while I pounded away.

After 20 minutes of depression and gloom I gave it another shot with a new idea of how to smack it. This worked perfectly and I got it on enough to thread the axle nut.

So i'm just going to put everything together and tighten up the axle nut like crazy, and I am confident I will need two new wheel bearings at the end of this.

worst scenario is I fucked the hub & the bearing and I need to source a hub from a junk yard and buy new studs and do the same thing all over again from scratch.

Second worst case is I fucked the wheel bearing, in which case I will have to remove everything again, and furthermore, remove the entire from knuckle and take it into a shop to have the bearing pressed out and a new set of bearings pressed in.

Lastly, the best case is the bearing is seated correctly and the car drives fine, for maybe a month or two.

Pictures to follow

89s1
01-21-2010, 06:47 PM
Why would you need new studs??

If you fucked the bearings and or hubs just bring em back over to "the shop" and we'll take those studs back out of the old hubs to re-use them.

Or is there other reasoning behind it?

TimeAttack
01-21-2010, 06:56 PM
yeah, that would be the worst case, I would hope there is a way to salvage them, and if it comes to that I will definitely try to remove and reinsert first.

:thumbsup:

Eating some supper to relax a bit before I tackle the final wheel.

I also need to buy tuner style lugs to bolt the wheels on because the socket is too thick and will just end up raping the inside of the holes on my wheels.

TimeAttack
01-21-2010, 08:21 PM
Update:

I got it all together and nothing seemed to be too out of the ordinary, nothing that really screamed damage.

So I will just cross my fingers and hope for the best.

Just waiting on tuner lugs now...

The 89s1 wheel stud garage once again came through with a win. That vice of yours saved me so much work its unreal.

Pics (most didn't turn out because of the poor lighting...)

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/studs/DSCF2511.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/studs/DSCF2502.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/studs/DSCF2503.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/studs/DSCF2504.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/studs/DSCF2505.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/studs/DSCF2506.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/studs/DSCF2507.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/studs/DSCF2508.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/studs/DSCF2509.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/studs/DSCF2518.jpg

^^ almost looks like paint, am-I right?

cr-xbrian
01-21-2010, 09:01 PM
very nice build man, i wanna post a build thread on my jdmcrx turbo but no camera... =/

TimeAttack
01-21-2010, 09:16 PM
I got my camera used from a member here on beyond for $20

So I would highly recommend the investment.
When you're like me and your lifelong pride and joy crx is rear ended into an accordion all you will have left is the pictures.

Priceless to have mass amounts of pictures, and for $20~ for a baselines point and shoot its foolish to do a build without one!

So get crackin' and post up that build!

I need some inspiration!

cr-xbrian
01-22-2010, 01:05 AM
Originally posted by TimeAttack
I got my camera used from a member here on beyond for $20

So I would highly recommend the investment.
When you're like me and your lifelong pride and joy crx is rear ended into an accordion all you will have left is the pictures.

Priceless to have mass amounts of pictures, and for $20~ for a baselines point and shoot its foolish to do a build without one!

So get crackin' and post up that build!

I need some inspiration!

this spring we should meet up and go for a cruise or sumthin!

TimeAttack
01-22-2010, 09:32 AM
Originally posted by cr-xbrian


this spring we should meet up and go for a cruise or sumthin!

It will be a modern miracle if I can finish the project in time for summer, but I'm trying my hardest.

I went to the Beyond honda meet/cruise to sylvan lake last year and had a great time.

stay tuned closer to spring time and that will be when I decide to force the car onto the street this year or leave it parked until 2011.

89s1
01-22-2010, 03:48 PM
If the crx is staying parked we should put the turbo kit on the 4 door :D

TimeAttack
01-25-2010, 09:37 PM
^ The 4 doh is sohc n/a 4 life, haha,


Text update, cause I don't feel like pulling the pics off my camera until I get a few more.

But I've started to collect the angles of tube i need to mock up my custom pipes for the turbo charge air.

6x 90 degree elbows, 1x 45, 1x 30, 8x 15, and 1x 25

this should give me more than enough to mock up the entire system, mark and tac weld in place, followed by a re-fit and a final bit of adjustments before it's handed over to a competent welder (maybe revhard if I can afford it).

The lugs are booked into the machine shop tomorrow along with the mandrel tubes which will all be finished by friday when I can finally install my wheels and begin the charge mockup.

All that is based on everything going as planned, which never happens.

cheers

89s1
01-25-2010, 11:12 PM
wewt wewt :thumbsup:

Power_Of_Rotary
01-26-2010, 12:40 PM
anyone have a link for a good tutorial on how to vinyl difficult areas on a car?

been wanting to do this a long time ago...

King Banana
01-28-2010, 08:24 PM
I've started to collect the angles of tube i need to mock up my custom pipes for the turbo charge air.

6x 90 degree elbows, 1x 45, 1x 30, 8x 15, and 1x 25

this should give me more than enough to mock up the entire system, mark and tac weld in place, followed by a re-fit and a final bit of adjustments before it's handed over to a competent welder.

Now that i've got my fog lights installed and working I've gotta try to maneuver the charge pipes around the fogs..... not good
this also means I will have to likely re-locate my washer fluid holder.

The lugs are booked into the machine shop tomorrow along with the mandrel tubes which will all be finished by friday when I can finally install my wheels and begin the charge mockup.

All that is based on everything going as planned, which never happens.

cheers

washed them off in the tub:

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/studs/DSCF2520.jpg

Ready to start marking to have them sliced up:

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/studs/DSCF2521.jpg

Stay tuned, tomorrow I should get the 'slices' back.





^ I have lots of free time - It's amazing what you can accomplish as a single male....

Anyway, the updates may slow now that I blew my wad at a machine shop for some petty work...
It's even hard to type out what it cost, but I had 8 lug nuts machined down to fit in my spacer, and I had 5 U bends cut up into various bends and angles.

The machine shop charges 100$ per hour, they spent 2 hours on this.
Plus shop materials and enviro....


omg I almost shit.
but the book keeper girl was hot so I couldn't argue with her :(

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/studs/DSCF2522.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/studs/DSCF2524.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/studs/DSCF2526.jpg


Final update on the front wheels:

So I came across another dilemma that made things even more difficult for me....

After I got my freshly shaved lugs back from the machine shop, I installed the spacer, fit perfectly, everything was great. Then I added the wheel and the tuner lugs I had bought for the wheel so that I wouldn't score the inside of the lug holes with the socket....

I threaded the lugs on all the way and it bottomed out on the stud!@!@!1
So I needed a lug that was an 1/8-1/2 longer for my extended studs.

And since my thread is 7/16-20 gm thread I cannot buy the usual ricer open ended tuner lugs, so I was stuck.
I decided instead of taking them back for a refund and sourcing a custom set on ebay, i got a nice big drill bit and went to the shop and used the drill press to drill out the caps on the lug nuts.

I don't have any pictures, but the base of the drill press has a hole in it, which the lug nut cone fit perfectly into, so I used a spare stud and locked it down from both ends using a spare acorn open ended lug for the spacers to hold it at the back.

So I drilled out the caps in two step (medium drill bit, then large drill bit)

This did the trick and soon enough I was able to thread the lugs onto the stud as far as I wanted, even past the threads.


So I got home after supper and went to work, installed the spacers on both wheels and mounted both wheels with my new open ended tuner lugs (one of a kind)

Oh how happy I was to finally have wheels bolted to the car and not loose in the parkade.

here are some pictures to help you visualize the story.
Up next?

Cut, route, and measure, and tac weld up my intercooler piping.
Then I need to look into buying an intercooler with inlet/outlet mounted at the bottom of the end tanks so that I can avoid any sharp angles since the pipes will be coming from basically as low as the bumper front lip.

I will be attempting to retain my fog lights in this process and :. I will be trying to route the pipes below the fog lights.

If anyone has another suggestion, I'm open to ideas!

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/studs/DSCF2527.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/studs/DSCF2528.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/studs/DSCF2529.jpg

mantis_si
02-05-2010, 06:39 PM
Hey turbo banana attack, I gotta say Im very impressed with your dedication and talent working on crx's. I love it! I drove the red crx at the sylvan cruise, and seeing yours in person was incredible! you certainly did an amazing job on the vinyl wrap... im interested in doing it, (after some bodywork), maybe this summer, im sure ill ask you some questions sometime...
Congrats on figuring out the lug nut situation, I cant wait to see it with the wheels on, Im sure it'll look sick... and I think we need some more details about the turbo setup, what size turbo? what engine management are you thinking?
and I hope all the pipe mock up goes well, you got your work cut out for you (literally)...
keep up the good work man!

King Banana
02-05-2010, 11:37 PM
Thanks for the good words,

If you have any wrap q's toss me a PM and I usually reply quite fast when I'm not banned.

the turbo is a TEO4H Mitsubishi turbo, off an old talon or laser.
It's tiny, basically a T2.

tops out at around 14psi, and when I was running the safc hack with 450cc injectors at 9psi I dyno'd 170whp and 140whtq.

Right now i'm running a turboedit OBD0 basemap on the DOHC ZC - Runs amazing, could use a good tune, but for now it runs smooth like stock.

The motor is just a stock 1990 dohc zc - the head has never been removed from factory.
Clutch and flywheel are worked (11.9lb act - 4 puck unsprung)
SI tranny
No bov
No turbo timer
Internal wastegate

The turbo setup has been through 3 bov's, 2 cars, and 2 motors.

First started out on a DPFI d15b2 dx crx motor, ran 6psi.
swapped the zc - kept the same turbo setup
swapped the motor into the new green/white crx shell - same turbo setup

I guess the turbo and downpipe are the only thing that will be the same on this setup from last.

New pipes, and I'm going to change the intercooler because I want it fit the pipes I will be fabbing up.

The intercooler I have and will be selling is an audi 4000 core - plastic end tanks removed and custom ones welded and polished. After a few years I left the polished look for a flat black paint look.

In the last shell with intercooler I was running 11-12psi daily driven and driving to the drag strip and back.
Track times were 13.9 in Manitoba, followed by a 13.8 @99 in Saskatchewan.

This summer I might find out what it does in alberta, hopefully after a tune, and hopefully still in 13's.

thats 1999 - 2010 in a nutshell

This was a shakedown in the old shell:

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j143/kenifilis/th_MOV03371.jpg (http://s79.photobucket.com/albums/j143/kenifilis/?action=view&current=MOV03371.flv)

King Banana
02-10-2010, 06:26 PM
Started to slowly place and tack weld pipe starting at the TB and moving first toward the airbox behind the front bumper.

These are the two pipes that will give me a start, I can't tack them together until I go back and rotate them properly in to place later tonite and then bring them back to work with me on friday to tack them together.

This will complete the first leg, arguably the easiest leg.

Total of 4 legs (TB to Airbox, Airbox to Outlet IC, Inlet IC to washer area via engine compartment, and lastly, washer area to turbo.)

1/4 is almost complete (mockup wise)

the hardest parts will be the two intercooler legs.

pics

(first time using a welder to tack or otherwise.)
baby steps!

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/plumbing/DSCF2538.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/plumbing/DSCF2539.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/plumbing/DSCF2540.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/plumbing/DSCF2541.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/plumbing/DSCF2542.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/plumbing/DSCF2543.jpg

sr20s14zenki
02-14-2010, 04:09 PM
Hehe bring them out to me if you want some decent tig welds on there (=.

King Banana
02-14-2010, 06:41 PM
sr20s14zenki - I'll know what my budget will be for welding once I get all the tubes tacked into place. I want the welds to be very clean and tidy.... So once I'm done with everything I will find out what I can afford.


More progress:

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/plumbing/DSCF2549.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/plumbing/DSCF2550.jpg

sr20s14zenki
02-14-2010, 08:02 PM
Originally posted by King Banana
sr20s14zenki - I'll know what my budget will be for welding once I get all the tubes tacked into place. I want the welds to be very clean and tidy.... So once I'm done with everything I will find out what I can afford.


More progress:

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/plumbing/DSCF2549.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/plumbing/DSCF2550.jpg


yep ill prolly just charge you gas, and very little to weld them. let me know, i could use the tig practice, im not a machine like revhard, but i can hold my own for sure. That is mild steel pipe correct?

King Banana
02-14-2010, 08:09 PM
yup. Just mild steel.

It's a budget build, so if you were willing to help me out with some welding that would really help my build along.

I'm primarily concerned about making the tubes able to hold pressure and some decent welds, doesn't have to be robotic welds or anything.

So :thumbsup: I'll let you know once i'm done and maybe I can leave the pipes with you for a while and let you go at them.

sr20s14zenki
02-14-2010, 09:47 PM
oops meant to pm

King Banana
02-18-2010, 11:25 PM
Text update:

If you're following the build you might be wondering why progress has stopped half way though the plumbing part.

Reason is, I decided to ditch the old intercooler, its too thick (4"), and the inlet/outlet are in the center and plumbing them like that creates 2 un-wanted sharp turns.

New intercooler has inlet/outlet on the bottom, and its 24"x6"x2.5"
old was 26x7x4

So stay tuned for the arrival of the intercooler. The company doesn't ship to Canada so I had to ship to MT and I will have to drive down and pick it up on a weekend. 2.5 hrs each way.

So I'll post up once it arrives....

King Banana
02-28-2010, 09:17 PM
FINALLY got my intercooler replacement....
Had to drive to the US border to pick it up tho, pain, 3.5 hours each way
dinged with tons of fees, but at least i've got it now.


anyway,
So here are the updates, fitted the intercooler really loosely so that I can find out generally where the endtank ports will sit so that I can finish routing and welding the pipes in place.

I should have almost all the pipes spot welded by next weekend, then I'm gonna try to get sr20s14zenki to work his welding magic, might take a couple weeks.

So this is all I have for now:

NOTE:
this intercooler fits like it was meant to be there from the factory, seriously, i just mocked it up by eye guessing at heights etc and i slid the bumper on and took pictures, no adjusting no nothing.

It clears the lower portion from the inner bumper area perfectly, like 1mm of space

Requires NO cutting of the bumper to mount this cooler, the pipes will require slight trimming of the lower backside of the bumper lip, but this will be minimal and not visible from the outside of the car.

So what do yall think? am I gettin there?

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/plumbing/DSCF2557.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/plumbing/DSCF2558.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/plumbing/DSCF2561.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/plumbing/DSCF2563.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/plumbing/DSCF2567.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/plumbing/DSCF2568.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/plumbing/DSCF2569.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/plumbing/DSCF2570.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/plumbing/DSCF2571.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/plumbing/DSCF2573.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/plumbing/DSCF2574.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/plumbing/DSCF2575.jpg

sr20s14zenki
02-28-2010, 09:21 PM
Man that is some nice fitment. You are right, it almost looks like it belongs there.

:thumbsup:

King Banana
03-03-2010, 11:14 PM
I would like to note at this point, if you ever consider making custom charge pipes, it is not as easy as it sounds on paper.

This is turning out to be 800% more work than I was anticipating, but I am making progress and the build is slow but it is moving.

Tonite after 4 hours of bumper fitting, then removal and trimming, then re fitting, and trying a different combo of bends, and then re trimming and re fitting.

I finally have the bumper fitted and fog light cleared on the passenger side (difficult side)

So tomorrow I will spot weld the last couple pieces on the tubing that travels from the cooler to the TB.

Then I can repeat the last few weeks of steps and complete the other side and fit the bumper again with similar trimmings.

Sorry no pics because I am exhausted and tired and sore and no real photo worth progress.

King Banana
03-05-2010, 01:26 AM
Another exhausting day, welding, fitting, taping, marking, cutting etc....

my goodness this is tiring,
I feel really bad, my tac welds are horrible, It embarrassing how ugly they are and its hard to look at.

more pictures, cause everyone loves pictures:


http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/plumbing/DSCF2577.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/plumbing/DSCF2578.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/plumbing/DSCF2579.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/plumbing/DSCF2580.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/plumbing/DSCF2582.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/plumbing/DSCF2584.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/plumbing/DSCF2586.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/plumbing/DSCF2592.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/plumbing/DSCF2596.jpg

King Banana
03-07-2010, 01:15 AM
Made some good progress today, worked all day.

so far I have the bulk of the plumbing done and finished.

A slight adjustment is needed to the lower intercooler outlet pipe as it is about 2" too long at one end and doesn't meet the outlet of the intercooler.

I braced up the intercooler to the T bar on top, this is mainly just to hold the cooler in place and centered so that I can more accurately place my final adjustments.

I trimmed the bumper plastic for both sides so the bumper now installs with no issues at all.

The final stage, which hopefully is completed tomorrow is just the small jog from the windshield washer fluid filler cap area to the turbo which just requires a reducer to go from 2.5" to 2" to meet up with the turbo air outlet.

So tomorrow night I should have some pictures of the final mockup and test fit, after that its just a matter of welding and painting.

King Banana
03-07-2010, 02:19 PM
Final update before welding, this is all the pipes I have created, a work of art imo.

anyway, they are all test fitted and ready to go, you can't begin to understand how relieved I am to be finally done cutting and welding and fitting and trimming.

man oh man.

enjoy, the next time you see them they will be welded up and I hope to have them sent for powder coating afterwards and once they are complete I will install them for final pictures, then engine bay will get a good cleaning and final pictures will be up with the car back on the ground and then some test drives with full boost.

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/plumbing/DSCF2597.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/plumbing/DSCF2598.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/plumbing/DSCF2599.jpg

sr20s14zenki
03-07-2010, 02:22 PM
I want to make those solid (=

nice work, tight fit up.


Edit: Started welding these up today, here is the first, keep in mind i dont have alot of tig experience YET, but this is great practice. Cant complain about free labour, can you (=


http://s163.photobucket.com/albums/t320/ca18det240sx/DSC01995.jpg

http://s163.photobucket.com/albums/t320/ca18det240sx/DSC01993.jpg

http://s163.photobucket.com/albums/t320/ca18det240sx/DSC01989.jpg

http://s163.photobucket.com/albums/t320/ca18det240sx/DSC01994.jpg

King Banana
03-08-2010, 08:59 PM
Looks great, those welds look FAR beyond any welding quality I was hoping to get.

http://www.skyscanner.net/news/beer.cheers.JPG

sr20s14zenki
03-08-2010, 09:04 PM
Good, the next ones will be better, im gonna clean those up a bit tho, its your most visible pipe, i want it to look good. Had to grind out a few big tacks *nudge nudge*

like i said, tig experience is nil, but i can hold my own. Im no revhard tho :D

sr20s14zenki
03-09-2010, 09:52 PM
New pics, increased weld quality, and getting better at welding out of position with tig. Good stuff :thumbsup:

http://s163.photobucket.com/albums/t320/ca18det240sx/DSC02004.jpg

http://s163.photobucket.com/albums/t320/ca18det240sx/DSC02005.jpg

http://s163.photobucket.com/albums/t320/ca18det240sx/DSC02006.jpg

http://s163.photobucket.com/albums/t320/ca18det240sx/DSC02007.jpg

http://s163.photobucket.com/albums/t320/ca18det240sx/DSC02008.jpg

http://s163.photobucket.com/albums/t320/ca18det240sx/DSC02009.jpg

http://s163.photobucket.com/albums/t320/ca18det240sx/DSC02010.jpg

http://s163.photobucket.com/albums/t320/ca18det240sx/DSC02011.jpg

King Banana
03-09-2010, 10:17 PM
Welds look awesome, you did a great job making my ugly tac globs disappear.

I'm sure if you had steady tig work you would in no time pick up that robotic welding technique.

From the pictures it looks like you already have good form.
I appreciate the picture updates, that's what I call above and beyond service, haha.

:thumbsup:

King Banana
03-11-2010, 09:30 PM
Just a small update, I got the charge pipes back from sr20s14zenki already, welds are spectacular, I did a rough test fit tonite and everything fits exactly as it was meant to.

As I expected, I'm lacking a few couplers and clamps so this weekend I'll be picking up the rest of the hardware to mount the pipes and will give it a final test fit hopefully before the end of the weekend.

Next up is paint, once I look at a few options, get a few quotes etc I will either paint them myself or have them sent off for paint.

Once that's out of the way all i've got left to do is a final install, which will also include bracing the intercooler to keep it straight.

No pictures until the weekend when I do the official test fit, but I can tell you already, this fits amazing and clears the fog lights and bumper perfectly.

Not only do I retain my foglights but also my washer fluid tank will be left untouched which is a bonus.

King Banana
03-13-2010, 07:06 PM
Basically the final update before the tubes get some sort of paint.

Went out and got all my coupler material and clamps, turned out the clamps came in just a hair too small so I have to go tomorrow and upgrade one size larger.

Everything fit up perfectly, the last thing I'll have to do is brace everything up, the intercooler needs a brace on either end and the two corner joints will have braces added going to the frame for support.

Took some pictures of the fit up with the new couplers, the passenger side airbox coupler I cut quite a bit too large and will have to trim that down a bit just so I don't have so much overkill.

So right now I am planning and trying to budget according to what method of painting I decide to go with.

Retained:
-stock horns on both sides in stock location
-OEM foglights
-stock washer reservoir

enjoy.

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/plumbing/DSCF2601.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/plumbing/DSCF2602.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/plumbing/DSCF2603.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/plumbing/DSCF2604.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/plumbing/DSCF2605.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/plumbing/DSCF2606.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/plumbing/DSCF2607.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/plumbing/DSCF2608.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/plumbing/DSCF2609.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/plumbing/DSCF2610.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/plumbing/DSCF2611.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/plumbing/DSCF2614.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/plumbing/DSCF2615.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/plumbing/DSCF2616.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/plumbing/DSCF2617.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/plumbing/DSCF2621.jpg

http://www.modelexis.com/img/crx/plumbing/DSCF2624.jpg

King Banana
03-14-2010, 01:31 PM
The build is going to slow down now.
Now it's not so much a matter of my labour but rather my wallet, to powder coat the tubes, to buy a battery and holder, to buy suspension, etc etc.

So I might take a month or two off and then come out strong this summer around july 1.