My name is Earl, and I have a Stainless Steel bolt fetish =)

[Jdesign]

KaiserRolls said:

Are all compact guys gifted?

That all depends on what you consider "gifted" 

[Earl]

I installed my new license plate mounting plugs, screws, and washers yesterday. The old ones were left in when the trunk was resprayed. I have a feeling the whole hatch will be resprayed when the car goes back to paint so I will make sure to remove all of the trunk handle inserts and the license plate mounting plugs so they don't just spray over them again. I do need to figure out the correct part number for the license plate screw plastic caps. They're a bit bigger than the interior screw caps. 

I also finally finished a project that I have been working on for 2 years off and on. I set it aside and forgot about it countless times when it made me angry and wasn't turning out great. 

I can post in process pictures that I took along the way if anyone is interested in what I all did.

[B C]

"When the car goes back to paint"

What is going on here? Is it getting re-painted?!?!?

[Earl]

The car goes back to the body shop once it is together to fix any issues I found and to buff it again.

[Jdesign]

Earl said:

I installed my new license plate mounting plugs, screws, and washers yesterday. The old ones were left in when the trunk was resprayed. I have a feeling the whole hatch will be resprayed when the car goes back to paint so I will make sure to remove all of the trunk handle inserts and the license plate mounting plugs so they don't just spray over them again. I do need to figure out the correct part number for the license plate screw plastic caps. They're a bit bigger than the interior screw caps. 

I also finally finished a project that I have been working on for 2 years off and on. I set it aside and forgot about it countless times when it made me angry and wasn't turning out great. 

I can post in process pictures that I took along the way if anyone is interested in what I all did.

Nice Plasti-dip job @Earl it looks great!

[Earl]

Jdesign said:

Nice Plasti-dip job @Earl it looks great!

ass lol

[B C]

STOP BREAKING THE LAW, ASSLOL!

[YoungCR]

Earl said:

I installed my new license plate mounting plugs, screws, and washers yesterday. The old ones were left in when the trunk was resprayed. I have a feeling the whole hatch will be resprayed when the car goes back to paint so I will make sure to remove all of the trunk handle inserts and the license plate mounting plugs so they don't just spray over them again. I do need to figure out the correct part number for the license plate screw plastic caps. They're a bit bigger than the interior screw caps. 

I also finally finished a project that I have been working on for 2 years off and on. I set it aside and forgot about it countless times when it made me angry and wasn't turning out great. 

I can post in process pictures that I took along the way if anyone is interested in what I all did.

That's the shaved trunk release panel right?

[Earl]

Yup=)

[Earl]

Definitely love how this came out

[jc43089]

Maybe I missed it but are you planning an electric release?  From a button in the car or a remote?

[Earl]

Yup. I have a door lock actuator I need to mount that simply pulls on the latch lever. I plan on hiding the trunk release button for an early 2000's Chevy Impala in the ashtray or somewhere around there.

[wasnt m3]

What about an e46 trunk release button? The GM one that was used in just about every car they produced for 15 years is big and dumb looking.

[Earl]

It looks the most like a compact =P

[straight6pwr]

Earl said:

It looks the most like a compact =P

you should probably scrape a little of the paint off where the tires are drawn to make it seem lower.

ASSPROOF Auctions?

[Jdesign]

Many Many moons later, I finally found the time to finish this up. I hope this helps to keep that fire under your ass lit long enough to finish before the up coming season. 

[andyhundley]

Earl said:

It looks the most like a compact =P

Are you going to get that button custom made in stainless steel?

[Jdesign]

andyhundley said:

Are you going to get that button custom made in stainless steel?

[Earl]

Progress over this past week has mostly been chipping away at undercoating removal by hand. I have the center portion stripped all the way to the gas tank area and half of a floorboard/rocker completed. 

I did get some time to remove the fabric covered sunroof shuttle so that I can take the headliner, A pillars, shuttle, and drivers seat to the upholsterer. 

I also got my front subframe, crossbar, fuel line cover and window tracks back from Zach

[Earl]

I cleaned the sunroof tracking on Saturday (no pictures of that as my phone died before I finished) and removed the side pieces from the sunroof to replace them. 

I also cleaned the underside of the sunroof and noticed the edge of the vinyl sheet is peeling up. I'm not quite sure what would be the best thing to adhere it back to the sunroof. I had though about replacing it but I don't see it listed as a part in the diagrams on realoem.com