cheap mods:

[js05fmtc]

what have you done thats cheap, sets you apart and was pretty simple..


cheap = under $50

mine- tint, vht nightshade eyelids, interior paint..

and im looking for more ideas

[Dilirious]

could buy:
shift knob
pedals
broadway mirror

save a bit more like 100:
apt fogs/jdm fogs
new grill
ftbl

just guessing some mods cuz don't know really what you have done.

[Human Collapse]

I bought red wire loom and put it on the wires that ran behind my grille as well as used some black duct tape on the white styrofoam bumper so it's completely black behind my black grille but with highlights of red with the wire loom. This cost about $10 in all I think.

http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z240/zachattackzero/KC%20Mayhem/IMG_2554.jpg

[HammeredRooster]

peel vinyl from doors - free
chop plate and mount in grill - free
Rewire tail lights - free
stubby antenna - free (swap with honda element at walmart)
Debadge car - free (when I had my spoiler painted, the guy filled and painted the rear garnish for free since it was so small)

spent $5 on wire mesh for my grilles
Dr Iso air diversion panel - $35
Angel Eyes - $44 (discontinued from oznium)

Dremel Tool - I know its not a mod but its endless what you can do with one on a tC

[krazyliltc]

I bought red wire loom and put it on the wires that ran behind my grille as well as used some black duct tape on the white styrofoam bumper so it's completely black behind my black grille but with highlights of red with the wire loom. This cost about $10 in all I think.

http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z240/zachattackzero/KC%20Mayhem/IMG_2554.jpg

Love the front skull emblem. Definitely one of the most unique thing I've seen. lol

[charlie07tC]

blue guage cluster and hvac panel lights under $30 for kit on ebay.

[Human Collapse]

Love the front skull emblem. Definitely one of the most unique thing I've seen. lol

Thanks. I only have it on there for shows for the time being. I need to put a lot of clear coat on it before I can drive around with it on. Bugs and stuff would tear it up pretty quick without.

[The 1 2 Die 4]

peel vinyl from doors - free
chop plate and mount in grill - free
Rewire tail lights - free
stubby antenna - free (swap with honda element at walmart)
Debadge car - free (when I had my spoiler painted, the guy filled and painted the rear garnish for free since it was so small)

spent $5 on wire mesh for my grilles
Dr Iso air diversion panel - $35
Angel Eyes - $44 (discontinued from oznium)

Dremel Tool - I know its not a mod but its endless what you can do with one on a tC


What vinyl on the door???
Rewire tails for what???
Stubby Stolen Antenna!!!

2nd on the Dremel...
:mro:

My favorite >$50 mod.. Caliper Paint... Takes some time to get it done, but well worth the time and effort...

[k0ntr0lledka0s]

um my interior paint cost about $50
led for headlights and grills
smoke the taillights
my interior led glow
mesh grill

[plumcrazy]

if you know ppl and how to find things then you can do alot of things fot cheap! I have lowered, put 19 inch 5 axis wheels, two toned, painted interior and two toned taillights and i havent even spent $1000 yet lol ( and yes the car was bone stock when bought it.)

[The 1 2 Die 4]

Hook a brother up with some paint!!! lol....

[HammeredRooster]

could buy:
shift knob
pedals
broadway mirror


1. you could buy one or make one. I thought of using a "beer tap" but I cant find one short enough. they are all way too long. I am trying to come up with something one of a kind.
2. Dont forget to get the deadpedal from scionpro.com $35. again, use the dremel tool and cut a hole in the stock one where the "tc" is on the new one and throw an led under there. I put a tiny million color changin strip in mine
3. on the broadway mirror, 300mm covex with blue tint is the only way to go. I taped mine off and painted it to match the interior.


blue guage cluster and hvac panel lights under $30 for kit on ebay.

I forgot about that one. You need to be able to solder or know someone who does, the leds are tiny and a pain to work with. Great mod though.


What vinyl on the door???
Rewire tails for what???
Stubby Stolen Antenna!!!

2nd on the Dremel...
:mro:



1.roll down your window and open your door. the black frame around the window that is flat black, that is just vinyl over paint and clear coat. Its a bitch to peel it off especially if its been on there a while. It just takes a while and your finders will hurt from pulling. It will peel off a little and then tear. A little goo-gone and its the same color as the car. The same is true for first gen xB's. the others cars are probably the same.
2. I smoked my tails and switched around what bulbs are in what sockets. it took some dremmeling and some modification but my running lights and break lights are the two small circles in the innermost corners of the tails. I think it looks alot cleaner that way and its bright as hell.
3. Not stolen, I asked if they wanted to swap, told them they would get better reception with a taller antenna....

[The 1 2 Die 4]

Just went to look... WOW! I had no clue that it was just vinyl... Eventhough my car is black anyways...

I wanna see some pics of yours peeled off...

[HammeredRooster]

ok, I will go peel mine and take a pic. I forgot all about it until I was trying to think of free mods and remembered a few of our people doing this YEARS ago.
but I dont know if i want to do it or not..... It is different BUT I am blacking out alot of stuff on my car, that would be adding more blue back in. but also, I dont have anything flat black on the car, its all gloss..... Decisions decisions !!

I think you should peel yours, the gloss black is way sexier then flat on the trim. I guess I could peel mine and then have them painted black later

[The 1 2 Die 4]

Dont peel yours.. I want to see pics of someones that has already been done.. Im still kinda, eh, on the idea... lol...

When I went to check it out.. I dug my fingernail into the "material" on the top left corner inside the door, and it left a white spot.. I dunno what it is, vinyl or paint'b'gone.. lol..

[HammeredRooster]

just for grins here is another shitty cell phone pic of my car. you can get an idea of how the tail lights are lit up. i think it looks so much better like this
http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd56/Hammeredrooster/7.jpg

I dont mind peeling mine, its something I have wanted to do anyway, just never thougth about it when I was around the car and had the time.
worse case scenario: I will do the passenger side first so if something doesnt work out, I dont have to see it everyday !

nothing should go wrong though, its a simple vinyl peel.

[The 1 2 Die 4]

Lmao.. You dont see your passengers side every day?

LoL.. Tails... First thing I thought was Civic... :-O

[HammeredRooster]

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd56/Hammeredrooster/9.jpg
here is about the only pic I can find of one done. same blue as mine but crappy angle


Lmao.. You dont see your passengers side every day?

LoL.. Tails... First thing I thought was Civic... :-O

I dont get in and out on that side everyday.

and the civic tails are c's. almost like two pacmen looking at each other.
oh, I just saw the other kind you are talking about. they are up and to the outsides, right under the spoiler. mine are in the bottom inside corners. more aggressive looking. shitty picture, i need to invest in a real camera

[The 1 2 Die 4]

Okay, so I broke down and did it before the sun was totally gone..

http://i704.photobucket.com/albums/ww46/The12Die4/RS%205%20tC/0907102010-00.jpg

I like it, drivers side for tomorow.. Need to give the fingers a rest.. lmao..

[JayKillz]

Okay, so I broke down and did it before the sun was totally gone..

http://i704.photobucket.com/albums/ww46/The12Die4/RS%205%20tC/0907102010-00.jpg

I like it, drivers side for tomorow.. Need to give the fingers a rest.. lmao..

So is the rear small window covered in vinyl also? mine looks like its fading.

[SpeedRacer]

So it is just vinyl on the doors, I didn't even notice. I will look at mine in the morning and see. Anyone have pics of a side shot to see what it looks like from a little distance.

[Human Collapse]

So is the rear small window covered in vinyl also? mine looks like its fading.

Have you tried giving it a good, soft, cleaning? I kinda rubbed too hard with a microfiber cloth and put some rub marks in on of my rear windows. I haven't cleaned it since, so mine may just clean off... I don't know.

[HammeredRooster]

I dont know if any of the other stuff is vinyl covered or not.

That looks amazing !
before you do the other side, open both doors all the way and take a pic from the front of the car so you have a "side by side" comparison.
kind of a before and after

[The 1 2 Die 4]

No, the back window is rubber... They added the vinyl to make the front window match the back one.. Since my car is black, its just shinier with out the vinyl..

I dont think it would look as good on a SW... Yah dig?

So I went and did a little clean up of stuff I missed and took another pic..
http://i704.photobucket.com/albums/ww46/The12Die4/RS%205%20tC/20100908134935.jpg
http://i704.photobucket.com/albums/ww46/The12Die4/RS%205%20tC/20100627013212.jpg<-- Just for you Travis.. lol..

Believe it or not, best thing for the rubber on the back window, tire shine... I like the McGuires clear gel stuff...

[TG7a]

I've seen this done to a white tC and it doesn't look right to me.It reminds me of plain old basic model.The Gen1 toyota matrix base models came like this without the vinyl on the doors and it looked cheap without it.It looks better with the vinyl on IMO

[JayKillz]

No, the back window is rubber... They added the vinyl to make the front window match the back one.. Since my car is black, its just shinier with out the vinyl..

I dont think it would look as good on a SW... Yah dig?

So I went and did a little clean up of stuff I missed and took another pic..
http://i704.photobucket.com/albums/ww46/The12Die4/RS%205%20tC/20100908134935.jpg
You should know what it looks like with it on.. If you dont, check out my sig.. lol..

Believe it or not, best thing for the rubber on the back window, tire shine... I like the McGuires clear gel stuff...

What Ventvisor do you have? I like the way they look.

[The 1 2 Die 4]

Im sure it wouldnt look right on a SW.. But the GB looks keen!

Weathertech Wind Deflectors $75 Shipped from Germany.. lol.. Just need a little pice of double sided tape to make sure they dont "slip" out...

[SpeedRacer]

So in other words it only looks good on darker colors. I have a BSP, so do you think it would be okay to take it off?

[BurntHook]

Definitely pulling my vinyl this week. i cant wait to see what it looks like with flint mica!

[The 1 2 Die 4]

I think that BSP would be okay.. FM might be pushing it.. But, the Nautical Blue pic didn't look that bad and its not even close to black...

Post pics!

[JayKillz]

I just did one side on my FM and it dosent look bad, I will take pics tomorrow but i only did one side due to my fingers hurting lol.

[SpeedRacer]

I might do it this weekend then. After seeing those pics it does look good..

[The 1 2 Die 4]

FL? You mean FM, Flint Mica, or did I miss a color? lol..

The best way to do it is to..
1. remove the mirror assembly so you can get the whole pice of vinyl.
2. remove the outside rubber gasket that seals the door to the car
3. roll the window down and remove the inside gasket.. (dont remove it more than necessary)
4. peel back the small overlaping tabs inside the outer corner
5. slowly peel away with out tearing the vinyl (as best you can) towards the inside corner
6. once you reach the inside corner, tear or cut the vinyl in half (one side going down, the other going across)
7. slowly pull off the vinyl so that the edges peel with the front, try to pull as close to the seperation line as possible so it doesnt tear as easily
8. once you get to the bottom of the wide pannel, lightly pull back the eather stripping so you can remove the vinyl in one piece

Tip: pull slowly without stopping so all of the glue comes up and keep your fingers close to the seperation point.. When you start getting far away it tends to break..

I used Orange Oxy and bug'b'gone to clean the glue off.. It was harder to get the glue off than peel the edge of the vinyl..

DONT FORGET TO WAX THE PAINT!!!


Skrilla!!!

[HammeredRooster]

I think that BSP would be okay.. FM might be pushing it.. But, the Nautical Blue pic didn't look that bad and its not even close to black...

Post pics!

The darker colors and mid colors should look ok. the white and the baby blue are they only two I can think of where it might not look as good.

wow, and all this time I thought everyone knew about that

[centralsciontc]

I didnt know about this, but I will be doing it next week. This weekend is busy for me, and I have a car show on Sunday, so I don't want it to be half assed when I go there.

[JayKillz]

Well just make sure to follow the steps that the12die4 posted and it will save your fingers. So if I where to use a heat gun to heat it up a little to do you think it will help it come off easily?

[BurntHook]

Yea heat gun would help alot. I use it all the time at work to take stickers and vinyls off.

[The 1 2 Die 4]

I have a heat gun and I didnt use it.. Although my car was in the sun all day long and it was about 90F when I did it.. So if your in a cooler climate, sure why not.. Just dont burn it.. lol....

^^ Glad I could help.. I get a little carried away with the DIY's.. lol... I just hate when you read one and your looking at your car going, WTF??...

[rstc120]

i might have to do that.

[centralsciontc]

i tried and my fingers hurt like hell. it was not easy to peel off. I got the glue off easier than peeling it. I need it to be hotter or use a hair dryer. probably do that this next week

[avgazn91]

wow, i had no clue that was a vinyl!! the shop that fixed up my car after my crash never clear coated it, so it looks like crap.

Gonna try this now. Thanks!


edit:
That was wayyyyy harder than I would have thought. Took me about 4 and a half hours to get the vinyl off of one side. I gotta run out to get some goof off now. The residue is still stuck on there.

[HammeredRooster]

lol, I never said it was easy. A heat gun or hair drier makes it come off alot easier

[avgazn91]

lol, I never said it was easy. A heat gun or hair drier makes it come off alot easier

yea... i made a horrible presumption. I actually ended up damaging one of my doors. But in the end, it ended up being a good thing because my other door was never painted. I ended up painting both doors to a metallic black. I forget what color exactly, but it was a toyota color with the same sparkle pattern as my flint mica. Ended up looking really nice, though what I thought would be an hour project spanned a total of 2 days.


I tell you what though... Anyone planning on doing this, set aside an ENTIRE day, be patient, and have a hair dryer!!! Btw, don't try to cut the vinyl, it will only scratch your car. I feel like an idiot because I did pretty much everything wrong, but in the end, it was a good learning experience.

[drkandevl1]

These are great ideas!

[06tcdude]

blue guage cluster and hvac panel lights under $30 for kit on ebay.

really charlie, i want to do mine in white