I've clearly been having too much expensive fun with my car. After hitting a couple of $400 curbs with the new wheels decided to have them powder coated back with color matching internal hubs. Then the brake calipers looked like crap so had them painted black and the disk rotors (which are now cross drilled) trimmed in black as well. I’ve finally got the dash looking good (all carbon fiber wrapped) and the Kenwood Double Din Excelon sound system (replaced all speakers, amp) with nav is working like a charm. Have a full halo light set up in front but not happy with the grill lights so will be messing with that some more. Next step is to have a graphic artist put a cat emblem on the hood and then to fully trim out the engine. Pictures below (the before pictures are at the end for reference):

 

Most of those mods look great, but if I were to be honest I'd have to say the LED strip in the front mesh looks as if you ran into a Christmas tree

 

The halo lights are controlled by a computer which allows me to change the color to something more legal and to create light shows (which I'll likely never really do). The light bar is supposed to sync with the halo lights and that isn't working at the moment thus the christmas light look. I really didn't intend to see the LEDs either, wanted something more subtle so will be working on the Sync problem, likely at least reversing the light (so it isn't direct) if not replacing it. Currently I'm looking at having the headlights completly refabricated, the projectors are really out of date and I'm having issues with one of the HD ballasts (think it is starting to fail) and they are wicked expensive. So I have a set of XK8 headlights I'm having converted to current generation projectors, led sequential turn signals added, and I'll move the halo lights over. A little pricey but think it will create a vastly more up to date result. I'll also likely take the halo treatment to the fogs for the hell of it. It'll take a couple of months.

 

Had a Cat logo (guess who's) painted on the hood. I think it came out rather nice. Also had some paint imperfections fixed.

 

Why not try mounting the christmas light bar behind the old horiz. reinforcing brace, it'll be less obvious and the grille will look backlit...just thinking out loud. Maybe the radiator isn't very pretty to look at.

 

done up like a dogs dinner

 

I think we'll get the same result with a different bar and pointing so it just causes a glow hiding the lights themseves. I'm adding some guages and having the lights reworked and updated, this will be fixed at the same time.

 

At my age it's just nice to get attention from someone other than EMTs.

 

Stop, please stop! I have to say the black wheels and grill go nicely with the exterior paint, and, while I am not a big fan of carbon fiber it actually ends up looking good in your interior.

But the pixie lights are definitely a no-go for me in any shape or form. And need I opine on the painted logo?

Of course just my opinion.

Doug

 

Dude your ricing out a beautiful car man and at that its a European whip (car) please stop lol

 

Do what makes you happy..... Might not be to everyones taste, but its all yours.....

I like the black wheels.... +1 with Matt put the lights behind the beam...... I would disconnect your side light bulbs, I always do that, looks a lot better with the rings and no yellow bulb

 

Some things should just be left alone. Just my opinion.

 

Looks like you are having fun and enjoyng your car!!

 

A few more modifications. Have the Silicon hoses (Paragon Design), Ford high performance intercooler pump, custom painted coil pack covers (covers from Paragon, Custom paint by Daneen, nameless cats, black out side markers and turn lights (Adamesh), new billet grill (Adamesh), full clear bra to front window, real gauges in, dash updated by powder coated trim rings (black) and still carbon fiber wrapped, shifter trim shifted from flat black to powder coated semi-gloss.

Nameless Cats really add to the sound and I think the car (even with the cutouts turned off) is a bit too loud now (with the exhaust cutouts open I can wake the dead) with just the Mina Gallery exhaust so I may end up putting in the Nameless system. Swapping to use the Paragon coil pack covers meant going to the older style valve covers. Having a bit of a sealing problem with the Silicon hoses, may end up going to a waterless system because they are fine until the pressure builds. Using the Real Gages for the first time is a bit unnerving because I'm so used to them just sitting in the middle. Pictures follow (note I pulled the light bar in the grill).

Still to go are the new headlights, boost and intercooler temp gauges (wired but not mounted), camber correcting shims (from Paragon and in transit), self adjusting sound, rear LED lights, smaller supercharger pulley and ECU tune, and custom painted charge coolers.

It is a little overcast today, I'll try to get the car into some better light and reshoot the front and dash. Pictures below.

 

Look like you are really having a good time with your car and making it your own.

Love the looks of the hoses, but too bad about the leaks. The Mikalor clamps have a smaller usable size range than normal clamps, do you think the leaks could be resolved by going to the next size down and tightening them a little more?

 

Sorry, I can appriciate the work that you've put into the car but I've just spent 2 months bringing mine up to standard and spent so much time making sure that it was original.

For me I prefer the completely original look.

Blue hoses...No No, the dash is OK, the lights...No No...

Don;t go and have a cat put on the bonnet.....

Shaun

 

Let me know which size clamp you need and I will send it out with the other stuff

As to original....... Bahhhhhhh

 

Actually went to a more traditional hose clamp but the large hoses are pretty stiff and not sealing under pressure that well. I'm hoping they will soften a bit with the engine heat and then we can tighten them some more in a week to solve the problem. I wanted to go waterless and now am kind of sorry I didn't.

 

You need to pressure test the system with the engine cold, this is what we do and you will find all the leaks, we take it up to 1.5 bar, the engine pressure cap is made to let go at 1 bar so 1.5 more than compensates.

We do find some variance occasionally in the pipes but going down to a smaller clamp sorts it.

 

This was an expensive mod but they came out rather nice. Pictures below: