Cheap exterior clean-up mods - Honda Forum / Acura Forum

White98LS · 07-29-2005, 01:24 AM

Of course an Integra is never going to look like a Ferrari, but it can be made a lot better by just cleaning up a few details. You really don't need a lot to make an Integra look 10x better, and this thread is meant to go through the cheaper, easier mods you can do. Here are the ones that I have done, and what you'll need to do them:

Remove rear wiper and brake light (if you have one)
Cost: Free
Needed: adjustable wrenches, I think that's it (this was a good 4 years ago)

Paint brake calipers/rotor hubs
Cost: $12
Needed: Engine enamel, paintbrush. I used gunmetal for the hubs and gold for the calipers. Found it easiest to just spray the paint into a cup and brush it on, worked surprisingly well, only 3 coats were needed and hard to mess up. No rust, y0!!!

Chrome instrument rings
Cost: $20
Needed: Kit from eBay, phillips screwdriver. It's actually an APC kit (Derek, what the hell are you smoking?) and comes with an aluminum-ish bezel background... of course being APC that was bent, and it was a little too flashy for my tastes so it got thrown out. The rings look really good though, this is a horrible pic but it's the best I had. Looks 5x better in reality, and the rings reflect the light of your instruments at night. Change the instrument lighting for $5 and you'll have a sweet lil setup.

Painted side skirts
Cost: $25
Needed: 600/800 grit sandpaper, 2x cans primer, color, and clearcoat spraypaint. I painted them on the car, just masked off the car with newspaper! Sanded, 7 coats of primer, 7x color, 7x clear. 5 years later they still match, doncha think? I did this when I was 16!!!

S2000 antenna
Cost: $45 (but I got mine for free

)
Needed: Kit from www.locustom.com, hacksaw, screwdrivers.

That's all I can think of. Of course badges/shift knobs/bulbs etc. too but those are obvious and depend on your personal taste more. Feel free to add whatever.

gsro11 · 07-29-2005, 01:42 AM

yes my man you got style thanx for the tips

mpcivicfb88 · 07-29-2005, 02:07 AM

nice stuff, wish i had a teg

IntegraXTR · 07-29-2005, 02:19 AM

good stuff derek

everything else you can do to the car is $$$

just look at my car HAHA!

ashley and i say hi..and will be going to seattle sometime in jan =P

eppo · 07-29-2005, 03:01 AM

was thinking of repainting my sideskirts also. did you just get matching paint at honda?
thanks

IntegraXTR · 07-29-2005, 03:13 AM

honda only has touch up paint. i mean, you CAN use the touch up paint if you have a hobby air brush, but that'll take forever

i believe dupont or duplicolor has spray cans in factory colors. i've seen frost white and what not, but not taffeta like my car

Stoph · 07-29-2005, 07:51 AM

Great stuff Derek!

There is also a place on the net you can order full on spray cans of the exact color of your car. I can't remember the web addy right at this moment, but I'll look for it today and post back on here. http://www.paintscratch.com/ is the place i'm talking about. It can get pricey though.

ps. I'm gunna need your help soon with some of the weight reduction stuff

White98LS · 07-29-2005, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IntegraXTR

honda only has touch up paint. i mean, you CAN use the touch up paint if you have a hobby air brush, but that'll take forever

i believe dupont or duplicolor has spray cans in factory colors. i've seen frost white and what not, but not taffeta like my car

Awesome that you guys are coming to Seattle, it'll be fun!

I used Duplicolor Import: Frost White I believe on my Taffeta White teggy... great match.

martinez32 · 07-29-2005, 11:35 AM

i'm gonna do the wiper delete one of these days, but the things i want to do are not exactly cheap.

eg: shave the wing and door mouldings.

looks good though

IntegraXTR · 07-29-2005, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by White98LS

Awesome that you guys are coming to Seattle, it'll be fun!

I used Duplicolor Import: Frost White I believe on my Taffeta White teggy... great match.

haha yeah, i have to save up a ton of money =P i'll be the one wishing i had my car up there when we go this time around

ahh frost white is a littttttle bit off from taffeta white. but it's not that big of a diff

hehe

White98LS · 07-29-2005, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IntegraXTR

haha yeah, i have to save up a ton of money =P i'll be the one wishing i had my car up there when we go this time around

ahh frost white is a littttttle bit off from taffeta white. but it's not that big of a diff

hehe

Yeah I figured the little bit offness of taffeta white vs. frost white would be cancelled out by the little bit offness of Duplicolor hahaha.

Hopefully we can hit up an auto-x in my car when you're here. Yes, we run them in January in the rain...

Actually I got Toyo RA-1s over other options mainly for rain capabilities, and in the 16 months I've had them they haven't touched water. Argh!!!

Nguyen · 07-29-2005, 05:31 PM

hehe i'm sure taffeta and frost will match better then champ white...color on my teg

ski ski integi · 07-29-2005, 05:36 PM

thanks for the ideas man

95db8 · 07-29-2005, 09:43 PM

that caliper color is nice, and i have been meaning to do the s2k antenna conversion for a while now. i hate the noisy retraction motor of the antenna. and i painted my calipers red, but the more i see them, the more rice it looks to me. combine that with my rusted rotors, and its pretty nasty. any recommendations on good rust proofed rotors? should i go with blanks or drilled?

Nguyen · 07-29-2005, 10:17 PM

Everytime I see the ass end of the car I laugh at teh LS sign... haha proud LS owner right there.... haha and also makes me laugh that the LS emblem looks like it came of a DA teg...haha was it?