gearbox

iTrader: (95)

it just didnt look right so i took it off. i used to have a regular chrome emblem on there from the trunk which looked a bit better, but you could tell it was just stuck on there and not part of the grill. i think plain grill looks cleaner.

mrplow123456

Wow can't believe I missed out on this thread for so long. Love the new door sills and nice work on polishing everything. I didn't get to read every post, but you still looking at a new headunit? I have the CDA-9886 I believe, I'll get some info after my buddies wedding tomorrow. I'll get some pics too even tho its blue and not red like you want.

I think their 9885 has red buttons and a iPod hook up but not sure. Almost all the new CDA's can be bought from ebay, new, for around $200 shipped. I got mine for $220 shipped, some jerk was trying to outbid me from $50 all the way to 185. Pfft Still won and happy with the new deck.

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

staying with 9847 cause it has perfect color match with my dash and gauges. havent been able to find anything else that looks as good.

fiend

hey gear, how did you retro fit your headlights? was it pretty easy or is it really advanced stuff? how long did it take also?

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

well depends, the last pair i did in oem lights took a few weeks cause its much harder to get everything mounted and installed. and i took my time with it. the first one in projector housings was easier cause there wasnt much involved except swapping the projector. after doing so much with hid i decided it wasnt for me in the end. i still wanna get some real oem headlights so keep a look out for me lol. the ebay replicas arent the greatest.

mrplow123456

I know one of the new CDAs have the same color as yours I just can't remember which one it was. It had everything I wanted except I wanted blue buttons and such so I passed it up for my current one. I can try and see if I can't find you a new face for your current one as well.

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

okay cool. i was able to take the plastic piece off and clean the back with scratchx but now its held on with tape lol. would be good to have a backup face if mine falls apart.

mrplow123456

lmao doesn't yours have screws holding it all together? And also worse comes to worse, you can gorilla glue it. That sounds so ghetto lol I will make some calls today and see what I can find.

mrplow123456

Alright well I ran into pretty much the same thing you did. No one has that old of a headunit and people that do don't sell faceplates by themselves. I called Alpine and they said for replacement parts, including faceplates, to contact your local dealer. I have none out this way so I can't check for you but I can imagine that it could be anywhere from $20 to $100 depending on the dealer. Good luck man as that was my last option and apparently only one.

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

yeah thats okay. and i meant i was able to take off the plastic piece which is normally stuck to the faceplate but when i pried it off theres no way to snap back on. the faceplate itself is screwed together (one screw is stipped tho), but the plastic cover piece i just taped on from the inside. it hasnt fallen off so i guess its fine for now. its the only way i could clean it.

mrplow123456

Well if you wouldn't let it get scratched then you wouldn't have to clean it lol. I know your pain though my last headunit was in almost perfect shape when I got rid of it and then I put this one in and before I could even finish, I scratched the face, I accidently dropped a tool on the seat and I thought the face was in the case. Now I have a long scratch right down the front of it but luckily its in a spot that remains black at all times.

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

replaced a few more misc items, the brake pedal cover, foot rest (now it actually stays firmly in place), a few bolts here and there etc. have a trans fluid filter on order.

i spent almost the whole day fixing my stripped driver seat bolt and tried to fix the rocking driver seat, but its starting to fail again. im really thinking about replacing it with a nice racing seat like the corbeau a4 i used to have. i think this time im going with the black microsuede version which i can get for $460 shipped including the bracket. i dont wanna replace passenger seat cause my amp is stuffed under there and the corbeaus sit too low for it to fit.

also put in my 23mm front rsx sway bushings from ES. and removed the whole washer nozzle system (tank, lines, etc) after the pump died. never used it anyway and i kept having blue fluid seep out on the hood lol. eventually i wanna get cf hood without nozzle holes and paint it silver.

TemjinX2

iTrader: (11)

gearbox, die hard 7th gen'er till the end.

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

lol and the car still runs surprisingly well.

Anticrime

thats a nice car, good job!

mrplow123456

Wish I had the will to remove the washer system. I rarely go a day without using it unfortunately. Too many bugs and birds out this way. Every once in a while I run out and take about 2 days to fill it back up but by then my window is almost black from all the dead bugs and dirt around me.

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

on a side note, my car still smells like manure from when i had to carry home a bag of fertilizer in the trunk. im hoping that "what odor?" spray is as good as they say on tv lol. the one made out of essential oils says it can completely destroy any odor.

civicplaya

Did you have to sand, prime, or anything like that? and how many cans did you use?

-Thanks

-Thanks

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

i used part of one can, then i decided to keep going and paint the whole exhaust pipes and the downpipe! i had to get a second can but i barely used any of it, just maybe 5-10 sprays. i ended up painting my bro's rsx rsr exhaust and i still have maybe 1/2 can left of the second one. if you paint the downpipe, be sure to cover the oxygen sensors with a towel.

more updates coming today....

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

okay, finally found some real oem lights on ebay, but ofcourse "perfect condition" turns out to mean tons of rock chips and scratches all over the lens. so i took them apart and swapped on my new aftermarket lenses also removed the clear reflector piece for a cleaner look. here is the difference comparing the two inserts. oem has a much nicer dark orange piece.



and installed. i also sealed around the edges with 3m windoweld butyl rubber.



yesterday i finished LED retrofit into my SI sidemarkers. i ended up using a small piece of circuit board that i cut into a circle to fit the socket hole. i did not even have to remove the sidemarker from the car (its glues anyway and i didnt want to). i used 4 amber leds with narrow angle focus, which is all i could fit in the hole. then sealed it up with the windoweld again and theyre holding in place nicely. these are very bright at night for just having 4 leds, and the superflux leds are a nice dark amber that is a near perfect match for the front signals. during the day, they look totally clear like theres nothing inside.

fiend

i never thought to do that...instead of buying projector headlights i should of bought some oem knock off's and replaced the lens on my oem lights...then i wouldn't have that haze burned into them

sl33pyriceboi

iTrader: (3)

hey steve! looks good as always! how ya been doing man? i hanvnt been hanging around here lately too much =[

so busy with finals

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

ive been busy too, lots of yard work and i just finished cleaning up the garage lol. feels good to be outside tho.

yeah the oem replicas are only $100 shipped on ebay which beats buying new oem lights for 350. i still have the aftermarket headlamps with oem lenses (scratched and pitted) if anyone might have use for them, like for projector retrofit. lenses are clear with no haze/yellow, but one side has several deep scratches. i may try to see if i can buff them out.

sl33pyriceboi

iTrader: (3)

^double post ftl.

you should have kept ur retrofit. i dont get you man...lol

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

haha you too. retro was blah and i hardly drive at night anymore to care.

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

who likes led fogs? a huge and long time coming project finally worked exactly as i hoped. i just finished putting amber superflux leds in my projector fogs to act as a second park light. well everything worked awesome, they are nice and bright with some twinkle effect as you look from different angles, and they are as bright (maybe a tad brighter) than my corner polarg filament bulbs behind oem amber piece. the amber is also an exact match. some initial pics, more coming soon. night pics didnt work out so well lol

leds installed behind the lens with chrome background tape. 4 leds per side, narrow angle superflux in 595nm amber.



test pics lit up





outside, and installed



ground shot. remember these are just for looks, that ground light is only a few feet and does not light up the road, which is what i was going for.

MidnightCivic

iTrader: (11)

Looks nice gearbox, your sure love your led's. Currently working on my retro and sucks not knowing crap lol. Since i have the headlights apart i think i may take that reflector out it does look nice without it.

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

sidemarker leds lit up...



pic after using mothers reflections top coat. more pics coming soon

amexicancarguy

Car looks good as always steve. i always liked your car!

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

few comparo pics. i think ima get a good strobe kit for the round park light im not using.

turn signal DRL



park lights



headlights with philips xp bulbs (looks whiter in person)