Rdnkgrl's '89 Golden LX

rdnkgrl · Rdnkgrl's '89 Golden LX

Well I figured that I might as well start an actual project log for my new car. It's gonna take some work, but I think that I'll be able to get it back in shape. I also have a maroon '89 DX but I traded it to my b/f for a built turbo 350 b&m tranny that's going to go in my '87 4Runner someday Smile

I picked this car up for $225. The head needs replacing but the guy that we bought it from got us one for $50 straight from a machine shop. The car also came with another motor in the trunk which will be the new bottom end for the maroon DX. In case you didn't know, my b/f threw a rod through the block about 2 months after I had em put in a new motor. The guy that we bought the car from had only had it about 2 months before we bought it. He said that the girl that he bought it from must have hit just about everything. The front end is crunched and the trunk needs some work. There are also a few dents here and there but I think with a little elbow grease that I can get them to smooth out pretty good. Right now we're waiting for this weekend to change out the head since it isn't supposed to rain. We have to do all the work outside and don't want to chance getting any water in the block when we change it out. Then after that's on we just nee to change out the fuel pump and we should be good to go. Then we'll start working on the inside. Someone decided to just cut all the wiring for the power windows and locks. And the under dash looks like a mess. Plus the whole carpet needs to be ripped out. I know that it's going to take some time and a bit of money but I think that in the long run once I get everything done it'll be a great car.
This is my b/f changing out the front tire so that we can get it on the car dolly.

[/img]

The guy said that the trunk was much worse when he got it. Eventually I'll jst get another lid but for now I think I can smooth it out more.

I think I might be able to get to this one from inside the trunk to pop out.

Luckily the hood still latches. This is gonna be funnest part to fix.

All ready to head home.

Yes, the spark plug wires are shiney. They were just dripping oil when I pulled em out. The guy had told us that all the spark plugs were just changed. Apparently he just forgot to put them in.

A better pic of the front end damage.

The inside.

My new head.

I decided that I was going to try my hand at painting my valve cover. I've never done anything like this before. Never even really picked up a can of spray paint.

This is what the vlve cover looked like when I took it off the car.

I think I used about half a can of airplane stripper on it.

I even cleaned the inside. It was totally black and caked with gunk.

My arms were so tired after sanding this down.

After 2 coats of gold.

It took me about 3 hours to do all the taping. Those tiny letter were hard. I didn't have any kind of dremel or grinder so that's why all the lettering are still there. I'll shave the next one that I do.

After 2 coats of purple.

I think it came out pretty much exactly the way that I wanted it to.

Lettering up close.

So that's what's done so far. Hopefully I'll be updating this later this week.

89civicracer

bling bling! Laughing

mitsubishiv5

nice. but i think that car really isnt "gold" if you were to replicate that oem color of the civic id say for like light almond pearl from duplicolor paint would match perfectly if anything. thats what i painted my crx and it closely resembles the oem color. but thats just me. otherwise i think you did an awesome job cause you didnt accidently peel off the paint you put on

jkgonzalez3

i'm feeling that valve cover

rdnkgrl

I know that the color isn't technically called gold. But it's close enough for now. I was gonna run over to the paint shop on my next day off to see what Honda actually calls it Razz

mitsubishiv5

try duplicolor light almond pearl! its got pearl in it and so sexy

mitsubishiv5

see how it came out? its as close to that oem color as the real thing and id say for 7 a can its a good deal. stays on strong and very nice end product

Mattes

good luck!

~Sp33~

You should have just painted the letters and sanded it off. Would've saved masking like a beetch.

rdnkgrl

Yeah but I wanted the gold to show from under the purple. Plus sanding the letters was killing my fingers, lol. If I'd have had the right tools I would have just shaved all the lettering off. There's always next time.

~Sp33~

JDQCIVIC4DR

nice job on the valve cover!

rdnkgrl

Thanks guys. I'm kinda hopeing that my friends will like it so much that they may actually pay me to paint theirs. Now to just get a dremel so I can shave lettering too. Y'all have no idea how proud I am of this valve cover. No guy has ever really let me work on my own car. I know I can do it, but usually they just let me hand them tools. The one good thing about when I was single was that I could do whatever I wanted to my car and no guy could push me aside and take over. The weather looks good enough so far today. Hopefully b/f will let me at least help with changeing out the head.

rdnkgrl

~Sp33~

It may have been when it rolled off the production line, it's definitely almond now though. lol

jkgonzalez3

well just give the valve cover some days so it could match Laughing

rdnkgrl

Yeah, yeah I know. Ya freaking party poopers, lol. It's still gold to me.

rdnkgrl

Well as some of you may know I actually traded this car to another Honda-Tech Member a couple weeks ago. I still have my other sedan and once I get a chance to start working on it I'll start a new log for it. I told Slotz to come over here and finish up this write up. He got the head changed over and had to wire in a toggle for the fuel injectors. Unfortunatly the bottom end was bad and he ended up blowing it yesturday. So now he's looking for another engine.