What did you do to your 2002 today !

[Markster]

Worked on the head rests on my early model  - they did not go up and down very easily.   

 

Figured how to take them apart.  Fixed the jam: clean up the rods and straighten them.  Going to send them out to get them re-done.  Thinking about a powder coat in a "chrome like look". Anyone done this before?  It is a very thin coating - perhaps a 1000th of an inch and is considered a decorative chrome - some of the hot rod folks do it on headers and such - gonna ask my powder coat guy.  

 

Next I found why one of the headrests was not going down all the way!  The PO had some jury rigged bolt for the seat back lever because I guess the rivet had given way.  The head rest post interfered with the bolt!  I will fix that with a new shorter bolt that won't over tighten - sex bolt seems like a good fit here.

 

Interesting how the head rest came apart so easy.  

 

Cables look good. - will take the slack out of the driver's side after I fix the pivot point.

 

Anyone know of a good chrome shop to do my seat hinge chrome over?  You can see it on the seat on the left - chrome is flaking off.   Perhaps the head rest too?  Surely I will have to mail them out of California - looking for most economical...

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 13, 2020 by Markster

[d.hitchcock]

Sunday was autocross day. Sonja and I got up early, drove an hour out to Topeka, and had a blast running with the KC and Kansas regions of SCCA.

I think I'm bonding really well with the 2002. Finished 20th out of 90 overall, behind a very fast pack that included at least four SCCA national champions.

The car ran fantastic all day long. Again.

 

[RogerRamJet77]

20 hours ago, Markster said:

Worked on the head rests on my early model  - they did not go up and down very easily.   

 

Figured how to take them apart.  Fixed the jam: clean up the rods and straighten them.  Going to send them out to get them re-done.  Thinking about a powder coat in a "chrome like look". Anyone done this before?  It is a very thin coating - perhaps a 1000th of an inch and is considered a decorative chrome - some of the hot rod folks do it on headers and such - gonna ask my powder coat guy.  

 

Next I found why one of the headrests was not going down all the way!  The PO had some jury rigged bolt for the seat back lever because I guess the rivet had given way.  The head rest post interfered with the bolt!  I will fix that with a new shorter bolt that won't over tighten - sex bolt seems like a good fit here.

 

Interesting how the head rest came apart so easy.  

 

Cables look good. - will take the slack out of the driver's side after I fix the pivot point.

 

Anyone know of a good chrome shop to do my seat hinge chrome over?  You can see it on the seat on the left - chrome is flaking off.   Perhaps the head rest too?  Surely I will have to mail them out of California - looking for most economical...

 

 

 

 

 

Headers are typically ceramic coated not powder coated. Normal powder coats cannot take the heat of a header. Ceramic coatings are cured at a higher temperature than powder coatings. I think you will be disappointed on the durability of powder coating where there is a sliding contact.

[Mike G]

Powder coat also goes on much thicker than paint so it could cause interference in the sliding action. 

[TVeye]

5 hours ago, rockyford77 said:

Headers are typically ceramic coated not powder coated. Normal powder coats cannot take the heat of a header. Ceramic coatings are cured at a higher temperature than powder coatings. I think you will be disappointed on the durability of powder coating where there is a sliding contact.

 

Appreciate the reposting of the fascinating headrest photos,

[dlhoovler]

Finished an electrical project that has taken me the past couple of months:

 

- New gauge pod with VDO Series 1 clock, oil pressure gauge and voltmeter

- Reinstalled the original Audiovox radio (and original speaker), after replacing the friction material in the tuner clutch

- Recreated the factory ashtray panel with new switches for the city lights/DRLs and the yet-to-be-installed rear fog lamp

- New tail light lenses and cleaned reflectors, with LED bulbs for the tail and brake lights (much brighter!) 

 

Satisfying work, even if it took me too long.

 

-Dave

 

 

Edited July 15, 2020 by dlhoovler

[zinz]

29 minutes ago, dlhoovler said:

Satisfying work, even if it took me too long.

Looks great, Dave. Something about this car... I just love it. 
 

Ed Z

[jp5Touring]

Replaced the brake master cylinder 

 

[RichenFamous]

1 hour ago, dlhoovler said:

New tail light lenses and cleaned reflectors, with LED bulbs for the tail and brake lights (much brighter!) 

@dlhoovler

Pics, part numbers, and where ya got em from please! 
 

?

[SteadFast]

On 7/7/2020 at 8:09 PM, user said:

Installed Hella driving lamps today, I'm gonna go for a ride tonight to see how big the difference is

 

Homemade brackets? 

 

[TVeye]

2 hours ago, jp5Touring said:

Replaced the brake master cylinder 

 

 

 

hope that's gonna be enough fluid

[Markster]

On 7/13/2020 at 6:27 PM, rockyford77 said:

Headers are typically ceramic coated not powder coated. Normal powder coats cannot take the heat of a header. Ceramic coatings are cured at a higher temperature than powder coatings. I think you will be disappointed on the durability of powder coating where there is a sliding contact.

Ok. So what is best treatment for the headrest? Chrome plate? And yes familiar with ceramic vs powder coat. Thanks all. Really appreciate the wisdom here.  

[RogerRamJet77]

7 hours ago, Markster said:

Ok. So what is best treatment for the headrest? Chrome plate? And yes familiar with ceramic vs powder coat. Thanks all. Really appreciate the wisdom here.  

Chrome plate or possibly Electroless Nickel Coating 

[dlhoovler]

12 hours ago, RichenFamous said:

@dlhoovler

Pics, part numbers, and where ya got em from please! 
 

?

 

All were from Amazon.

 

The brake bulbs were "Auxlight" 1156 57-LED 4W models in red, $14 a pair. They fit fine, throw light radially and straight back through a projector lens, and are very bright. Time will tell on their lifespan, but I got two pair to carry spares with me.

 

For the tail lights, I used "Makergroup" 1W warm white bulbs, sold as RV lighting and landscape lights at $8 a pair. I went with the lower-Wattage bulbs for the parking lights to maintain contrast with the brakes, and the 1W LEDs are still noticeably better than the incandescent bulbs. The only thing that's not ideal is that the tail light bulbs are contacting the back of the lens -- tightening the thumb screws on the reflector pushes the bulb back into the base contact. I THINK the cooler operating temperature of the LEDs will not affect the lens, but I will probably still look for shorter options that maintain clearance.

 

I kept the incandescent turn signal bulbs to avoid flasher problems, since they seemed plenty bright already. Also the original reverse light bulbs for now.

 

-Dave

[irdave]

New used wheels. Always wanted a set of Revolution RFX wheels- 16x8, et18 or so, 205/50-16.

 

Have to go to 16s for the new brakes that are coming...

 

Wife called them REDiculous.