Street Build 1G Build: Return of the DSMer!

[Vegas Smith]

Oh geez. That seems to be the theme with “most” body shops. Can you get replacement tabs for the wing?

No the tabs are part of the wing seemingly unless someone knows otherwise or we’re talking about different tabs.

 

[AWD-Tony]

No the tabs are part of the wing seemingly unless someone knows otherwise or we’re talking about different tabs.

Doesn’t the wing have metal studs and the trunk has plastic tabs the studs go into?

 

[bastarddsm]

Yeah, but the guy painted the wing black and I wasn't having that. Total nightmare every step of the way. Said it would be 1.5 weeks and it took like 9. At one point I was contemplating showing up with the police.

Bout the only way anyone is getting a car done in a week is prepping it at home and taking it to Maaco.

 

[Vegas Smith]

Doesn’t the wing have metal studs and the trunk has plastic tabs the studs go into?

Yea those are fine but the plastic pins that are built into the two side wings have all broken off.

 

[AWD-Tony]

Yea those are fine but the plastic pins that are built into the two side wings have all broken off.

Yeah. They broke off on mine too when I took it off. They’re too thin at the tip imo and aged plastic doesn’t help. We’re the plastic retainers on the trunk ok?

 

[Vegas Smith]

Yeah. They broke off on mine too when I took it off. They’re too thin at the tip imo and aged plastic doesn’t help. We’re the plastic retainers on the trunk ok?

Yeah those are all in great shape thankfully.

 

[habitatguy187]

Early on you replaced the steering rack with "upgraded steering rack". I see you don't have a ps pump so is that a de-powered rack you're using and how do you like it?

 

[Vegas Smith]

Early on you replaced the steering rack with "upgraded steering rack". I see you don't have a ps pump so is that a de-powered rack you're using and how do you like it?

That's weird, I replied to this post a couple of days ago but it never showed up. I think it's really a depowered rack and not a manual rack. It's fine. Not great when doing tight turns like backing out of the driveway but normal at speeds over 10mph. You can "feel" the road more rather than the robotic, straight-ahead stock setup. I really like it because I get to clear out all that space and clutter in the engine bay.

 

[Vegas Smith]

Got the front bumper installed along with the clear headlights that came with my black roller. Still waiting on the wing from the painter. I'm loving this color. Can't wait to see it with the wing as I hate these cars without wings....

 

[1cleangsx]

Frickin Gorgeous man, I’m super jelly.

 

[1cleangsx]

Are you still on the xr61-whatever? What are your plans for this beast?

 

[Vegas Smith]

Are you still on the xr61-whatever? What are your plans for this beast?

Yeah, still on the HTZ 76. I have the Morrison Fab manifold on the way to complete the setup and call it a day until I change something else . It'd be nice if they (@MorrisonFab) could hurry up

I have the fp35 exhaust housing on the shelf should I decide to get crazy and get an HTZ 82 or XR turbo. Link ecu for Christmas probably. My goal is 600awhp then calling it quits until I don't call it quits.

 

[1cleangsx]

Nice man! I think you’ve got a pretty well rounded street car. Love the build and the paint , you think you might run the zero if fp ever releases it? I know you just listed your plans but that zero looks nice on Nates car from performance part out, bolt on 600whp capable for sure..

 

[Vegas Smith]

Nice man! I think you’ve got a pretty well rounded street car. Love the build and the paint , you think you might run the zero if fp ever releases it? I know you just listed your plans but that zero looks nice on Nates car from performance part out, bolt on 600whp capable for sure..

Nah, there's no way I would run the zero because I'll never want to make that much power and If I did I would run something in my fp35 housing. Most likely an HTZ82 or XR 71-64S. Street car is the goal, not a broken drag car that comes out once every 1.5 years.

 

[Ludachris]

Got the front bumper installed along with the clear headlights that came with my black roller. Still waiting on the wing from the painter. I'm loving this color. Can't wait to see it with the wing as I hate these cars without wings....

View attachment 604761 View attachment 604762 View attachment 604763 View attachment 604764 View attachment 604765

Super clean.

 

[Vegas Smith]

Wing is back. The paint is ok. Car looks good. Story of the drama coming soon in case you like that kind of stuff.

 

[Ludachris]

Looks good from here!

 

[1cleangsx]

That’s one good lookin car!

 

[1990TSIAWDTALON]

Gorgeous Nick! You should smile every time you even THINK about you car!!!!

 

[Vegas Smith]

This post will be about the absolute nightmare of getting the car painted.

I found an advertisement on Facebook for a local guy that made a paint shop on his property. The pics he posted were of really detailed and quality work and it was looking like a good value paint job. I drove the car over for inspection and he was talking about fixing all the small body issue the car had. A ding here, a hole there, and some misaligned panels. I was really impressed by how much stuff he was finding that he claimed he would fix; things I wasn't even going to ask him to fix.

He said he was ready to take the car ASAP and as soon as I paid my downpayment he was going to order everything and get to work. I went home, got the money sorted out, and paid the guy through Zelle and said let me know when I should bring it. I didn't hear from the guy for 2 weeks after he just told me he would start ASAP. Finally, I had to contact the guy and get the car dropped off. Upon dropoff, he quoted me at 1.5 weeks.

2 weeks go by and I ask him how it's going. He said he would send me pics later that day. Nothing. This happened maybe 3 times after that. I'd ask for pics and he'd either ignore my message (with a "read" receipt) or say he would send them but never send. I finally had to start calling him at which point he would cancel my call and say he would call me later, only to never hear from him. He finally sends me pics of the car all sanded down maybe 5-6 weeks in. I felt a lot better knowing at least he was working on it.

A week later he hits me up with a screenshot of his bank account showing his balance is negative. He claims somebody hacked him and could I please send another portion of the money I owe him so he could buy supplies. My initial downpayment was supposed to cover all supplies....I told him no more problems and he assured me he was going to be doing a lot of work on it now. The next day he was posting on Facebook about how he and his family were in San Antonio having a nice vacation even though his bank was negative.

Weeks go by with no updates and I have to start contacting him. keeps ignoring. Finally says the car will be ready one day only to hear back that same day that he was sent the wrong color paint....Over a week goes back and he says paint just arrived....week or two goes by and he starts sending me pics of the car being painted. I'm feeling much better.

He sends me a pic of the wing painted black even after I told him and reminded him that I wanted it red. He tried to make me keep it black but I wasn't having it. I pick up the car and he says he will repaint the wing. A week goes by and he claims he ran out of clear coat. Another week goes by and the clear coat just arrived all the while he's ignoring my texts and telling me it will be ready this and that day. I took off work multiple times to go pick up the car and wing only to have the guy ghost me for the whole pickup day.

I finally started threatening him with a small-claims lawsuit as he was reading my messages but never responding and later claiming he dropped his phone in the pool...yet he was reading my messages. He tells me his wife just died of Covid and he's out of town on emergency yet he's posting pics of he and his family in Dallas for a youth football tournament. I was just done with this guy. I'm finally able to have my father-in-law pick up the wing for me. It's complete garbage. He just did a quick spray over the black. Didn't even fully coat the wing. Big drips of paints all over the wing. About 25% of it still black. Absolute nightmare. He didn't do a lot of shit he said he would including FILLING THE f***ING GIANT SIDE EXIT EXHAUST HOLE. It was such a bad experience I couldn't fathom ever asking this guy to fix the car. I may consider suing but it's so f***ing stressful I just want to move on. I'm leaving out a bunch just for brevity.

 

[Ludachris]

This post will be about the absolute nightmare of getting the car painted.

I found an advertisement on Facebook for a local guy that made a paint shop on his property. The pics he posted were of really detailed and quality work and it was looking like a good value paint job. I drove the car over for inspection and he was talking about fixing all the small body issue the car had. A ding here, a hole there, and some misaligned panels. I was really impressed by how much stuff he was finding that he claimed he would fix; things I wasn't even going to ask him to fix.

He said he was ready to take the car ASAP and as soon as I paid my downpayment he was going to order everything and get to work. I went home, got the money sorted out, and paid the guy through Zelle and said let me know when I should bring it. I didn't hear from the guy for 2 weeks after he just told me he would start ASAP. Finally, I had to contact the guy and get the car dropped off. Upon dropoff, he quoted me at 1.5 weeks.

2 weeks go by and I ask him how it's going. He said he would send me pics later that day. Nothing. This happened maybe 3 times after that. I'd ask for pics and he'd either ignore my message (with a "read" receipt) or say he would send them but never send. I finally had to start calling him at which point he would cancel my call and say he would call me later, only to never hear from him. He finally sends me pics of the car all sanded down maybe 5-6 weeks in. I felt a lot better knowing at least he was working on it.

A week later he hits me up with a screenshot of his bank account showing his balance is negative. He claims somebody hacked him and could I please send another portion of the money I owe him so he could buy supplies. My initial downpayment was supposed to cover all supplies....I told him no more problems and he assured me he was going to be doing a lot of work on it now. The next day he was posting on Facebook about how he and his family were in San Antonio having a nice vacation even though his bank was negative.

Weeks go by with no updates and I have to start contacting him. keeps ignoring. Finally says the car will be ready one day only to hear back that same day that he was sent the wrong color paint....Over a week goes back and he says paint just arrived....week or two goes by and he starts sending me pics of the car being painted. I'm feeling much better.

He sends me a pic of the wing painted black even after I told him and reminded him that I wanted it red. He tried to make me keep it black but I wasn't having it. I pick up the car and he says he will repaint the wing. A week goes by and he claims he ran out of clear coat. Another week goes by and the clear coat just arrived all the while he's ignoring my texts and telling me it will be ready this and that day. I took off work multiple times to go pick up the car and wing only to have the guy ghost me for the whole pickup day.

I finally started threatening him with a small-claims lawsuit as he was reading my messages but never responding and later claiming he dropped his phone in the pool...yet he was reading my messages. He tells me his wife just died of Covid and he's out of town on emergency yet he's posting pics of he and his family in Dallas for a youth football tournament. I was just done with this guy. I'm finally able to have my father-in-law pick up the wing for me. It's complete garbage. He just did a quick spray over the black. Didn't even fully coat the wing. Big drips of paints all over the wing. About 25% of it still black. Absolute nightmare. He didn't do a lot of sh** he said he would including FILLING THE f***ING GIANT SIDE EXIT EXHAUST HOLE. It was such a bad experience I couldn't fathom ever asking this guy to fix the car. I may consider suing but it's so f***ing stressful I just want to move on. I'm leaving out a bunch just for brevity.

What a nightmare. I've learned not to use hobbyists like that who have their own paint booth at home. I did it once and won't do it again. I'm sure there are plenty of good ones out there, and sometimes shops aren't any better, but it tends to be easier to gauge a shop's reputation when there's more feedback to read through.

I have friends and family who had issues with cars not running good after a paint job and leaky windshields (pulled the windshield to paint and didn't reinstall it correctly) when they had hobbyists paint their cars. Lots of horror stories out there.

 

[Vegas Smith]

What a nightmare. I've learned not to use hobbyists like that who have their own paint booth at home. I did it once and won't do it again. I'm sure there are plenty of good ones out there, and sometimes shops aren't any better, but it tends to be easier to gauge a shop's reputation when there's more feedback to read through.

I have friends and family who had issues with cars not running good after a paint job and leaky windshields (pulled the windshield to paint and didn't reinstall it correctly) when they had hobbyists paint their cars. Lots of horror stories out there.

The thing is all of his photos were in a professional level booth with major work and restoration being done. It was only afterwards that I realized those pics were at his work and not at his home shop he made. Lots of lessons learned on this one.

 

[gigahz95]

Love the thread guy, actually found it by searching for proper offset to go with 17x9 wheels and ended up reading the whole thing. I recently just bought a 1g after 15+ years myself as well.

Sorry to hear about the trouble with the freelance painter. Looks pretty good all things considered from your photos, you could probably achieve a deeper sheen with some wet sanding and other paint treatment if you're unhappy with it.

 

[Vegas Smith]

Love the thread guy, actually found it by searching for proper offset to go with 17x9 wheels and ended up reading the whole thing. I recently just bought a 1g after 15+ years myself as well.

Sorry to hear about the trouble with the freelance painter. Looks pretty good all things considered from your photos, you could probably achieve a deeper sheen with some wet sanding and other paint treatment if you're unhappy with it.

Thanks a lot. The car looks better in the pics than it does in person. Do you think I could take it to a paint shop and have them improve the sheen or would that be a whole new paint job?

 

[1990TSIAWDTALON]

Is it basecoat/clearcoat Nick? If so, a wet sand with 2000 grit and a buff if it has any orange peel will make that look better if you don't like it now.
Hey, how hard was it to put the flush mount hood pins in and where did you get them?