CPJ LB wrote:Hey Dean,
that was quick...you got the new shoes on!! they sit very nice on your car...it was a pleasure meeting you in person for the first time and seeing your mods on the car...thanks for the many ideas as well

we gotta get a So Cal meet for the M's!!!!

SO Cal meet? Why not a Cali meet? LOL

Come on down! I've further north than Anthony, LOL!

New picture for sig:

Wangtang408 wrote:

CPJ LB wrote:Hey Dean,
that was quick...you got the new shoes on!! they sit very nice on your car...it was a pleasure meeting you in person for the first time and seeing your mods on the car...thanks for the many ideas as well

we gotta get a So Cal meet for the M's!!!!

SO Cal meet? Why not a Cali meet? LOL

ok, ok....my bad...let's have an all out Cali meet

there just needs to be a good meeting spot....somewhere with a large parking lot, sun, surf, food...

DAMN Dean....I like the conversion of your car...looks really good!!! front bumper swap, wheels... anything else on the horizon?? how about gloss black vinyl wrapped roof?? just sayn...

how do you think doing a black vinyl wrap over the side mirrors will look? I'm thinking of going that route....

I'm still working on the trim piece---lots of work involved with it.
The vinyl on the roof I have never been a fan of except on white cars.
Side mirrors, maybe, if you blacked out the rest of the chrome on the car. Why not just do the led mirror covers and then add a chrome strip underneath -- the strip does not show up well in pictures but in person, it "ties" the mirrors to the car better. A few people asked about it and I had forgotten that I had done it -- looks like it belongs there, LOL.

I'm down for a meet, we just need to find a good spot. Mile Square park down in Irvine is always good with the Buick crowd but it is hard to get a reservation for it.

I've held a few Supra meets at Gladstones on PCH so that might be an option. I don't really like the "strip mall" meets as they are too hard to control (gotta protect the babies!) and at least one of the shop owners always complains.

Maybe a government facility during the shutdown, LOL.

Started changing up the back of the car a bit.
First time round I just did the upper trim piece:


Second time round I did the bottom piece as well, repainted the upper piece to reduce the chrome edge and removed the "M45" for a more symmetrical look:




Then washed and waxed with Surf City Garage products <-- best out there! Look at the reflection on the trunk lid!

nice work Dean! looks clean...

BTW, since you took off the "M45" emblem, you gotta watch out for those 'ricers' wanting to test you...LOL....little do they know that a nice V-8 awaits ....hahahhahahahahhahahahah

CPJ LB wrote:nice work Dean! looks clean...

BTW, since you took off the "M45" emblem, you gotta watch out for those 'ricers' wanting to test you...LOL....little do they know that a nice V-8 awaits ....hahahhahahahahhahahahah

LOL, just baitin the hook!

Couldn't get a definitive answer on this one: are the 08+ instrument clusters plug and play on the 06-07 cars?
Here ya go:



Manual mode:


Even though this cluster came from a car without adaptive cruise control:


Everything works. Straight plug and play. Remove two trim pieces on each side, pull the bezel out, three Philips screws, take off connector. Reverse to install. Took about 10 minutes.

Not sure if I want to keep it as is or swap out the nav control also. Right now I kind of like the contrast. During the day it is a non issue (nav panel doesn't light up). I'll kick it around for a while and see. Also, the mileage stays with the cluster--not the BCM.

Very nicely done Dean, keep us posted man

Well done, mate ! Staggering difference from the orange cluster. Now I have a new project, LOL. I suppose that the best way to go is to find a used cluster. Now we also know that adaptive cruise control will still work even if it comes from a car that didn't have that option! I suppose you can find a used multi-switch as well if you don't want to keep the OEM colour I bet that will be plug-N-play as well.

On thing though. You say the mileage will not transfer to the new cluster or did I read that arseways?

That is correct, you would need to have the cluster re-programmed with your mileage. I assume the dealer can do it (say they had to replace a malfunctioning unit with a new cluster for example) The used cluster I found has 2K more miles than my original piece so I did not bother finding someone to program the mileage. I'll put the hvac/nav controls in this weekend and see if they work with no issues but like you, I do not foresee any.

I was hearing an occasional "clunk" when downshifting and when taking off. Not consistent, just happened randomly. Put the car up and started checking around. Found that the driveshaft bolts were loose. They should be at 87 ft lbs and 2 of them I could even turn by hand. Torqued those down and so far, no more clunks.

Installed a "T-Rex" style lower grille today to match the fog light bezels. Also blacked out the upper grille completely, not sure if I like the upper grill yet.
Night pictures so sorry for the quality:



Tomorrow going to work on some engine bay stuff and maybe hit the auto show!

Finished the engine covers. Was trying to incorporate a "touch" of red and this is what I came up with:



Day pictures of the new lower grille and I went ahead and brought back the chrome strip on the bottom of the top grille. Wet sanded and buffed both of them today as well:


Lastly, a buddy gave me some "Night Shades" paint so I figured what the hell:



It actually looks MUCH better in person. Back up lighting is slightly reduced but not by much at all.

In the next two weeks or so I am going to try a new lighting idea that involves turn signals.