DreamCastEclipse

Slow Going

2010-08-16T11:57:00.000-07:00

Yeah, things are slow going. Mike didn't finish the sketches, as promised. But, that's alright. The project has been in some sort of holding pattern for almost two years now. ICK!

I found the drain. It's the DVD player. Turns out, it was hooked up wrong and I trusted the wrong person with it. The solution?

We have to cut out the entire DVD player. I'm not crying, oddly enough. There have been some wonderful upgrades to DVD players and after market systems. I'm looking at a few to get an idea of what to do differently that can also play the Dreamcast.

Things are slow, and I can't promise frequent updates as I'm sure you wonderful readers are accustomed to. However, I can promise I'll have updates as the project continues. I love this car, and won't abandon in, no matter how long it takes.

Chad has opened his own paint booth, which is great news! I'm looking forward to seeing him take on this project!

Now I need to install the lights so I can legally drive it to him with the new bumper inside... Isn't it nice how convertibles can sometimes become trucks?

It's been a while

2009-11-06T10:29:00.000-08:00

I have a wonderful lighting designer, Mike, arriving from CA who will be assisting in making the entire lighting design come to life! He will be here on 11/18, so I hope to have some initial design sketches available before then.

Other than that, she's been sitting in the garage without much work being done. The switchpanel is basically in need of redoing, and all the fluids need flushed out and replaced. She won't pass inspection right now, and there is a lack of headlights to contend with.

I've tracked the battery drain, though! Remember the DVD player turning on when the car starts? As it turns out, the wiring must be a little wonky as the DVD player is the source of the drain. I have plans to cut the wires and rework how the power will continue.

The paint has been postponed due to, as we all know, financial stress. A low economy makes for projects like this difficult! However, I'm pulling out of the stress and have been in the garage looking at her again, becoming more and more inspired.

That being said, the Dream Team has been adjusted.

WELCOME

Mike is our lighting designer and electrician. He comes with an extensive background in theater lighting, and will be an excellent asset to the Dream Team with his innovative approach to design.

Brandon is our Show Veteran and has been the mastermind behind many award winning show cars. In fact, he has a plan to make the electronics perform much more smoothly that I can't even begin to describe.

GOODBYE

Josh is no longer affiliated with this project.
Dan has joined the military and will not be able to participate further. A Great Big THANK YOU to Dan for all his help, inspiration, and expertise. THANK YOU for serving our country! You make me proud!

One year later...

2009-08-18T14:10:00.001-07:00

A move. A battery dead. Headlights gone. New bumper and seats in storage.

It's time! Time to pull the Eclipse out of the garage! Time to get started again!!!!!! Time to make the dream come alive once more! That being said, the inspiration is there. Now, it's time to get moving.

First on the agenda? Same as last year!

BUG CHAD! I've already been in touch and was supposed to have started paint this month. However, another move, and this has had to be put off because the car needs headlights. I do, indeed, intend to hand her over to Chad as a legally drivable vehicle.

How to Find a Parasitic Battery Drain

2008-08-20T12:48:00.000-07:00

Needed:
Battery tester with 10-amp DC range

Step1
Charge your battery if necessary. Dead batteries (and even weak ones) don’t give accurate results on a draw test. The dome light is a good indicator of battery strength. If the light is weak, pulsating or refuses to turn on, you’ll need to charge the battery.

Step2
Shut off everything in the car. Pull the keys out of the ignition. Ensure all service lights are off, lighted compartments closed and doors shut. Open the hood, and disconnect the trouble light underneath if your vehicle has one. Wait for 30 minutes before moving on to Step 3. (This enables normal drain from interior components to finish cycling.)

Step3
Set your battery tester to 10 amps DC. Disconnect your positive battery connection (red cable) and position it safely away from metal components. Connect the meter’s positive probe to the battery’s positive post while simultaneously holding the negative probe in the air; keep it away from anything metal.

Step4
Place the negative probe on the end of the removed positive cable to complete the circuit. Yes, you’re putting a negative on a positive. Yes, this is ok. If you have a severe drain, you’re likely to pop a fuse or two—identifying your problem.

Step5
Check the meter reading. A normal reading is usually under .035 amps. If you have a minor drain that causes a higher reading, you’ll need to check each component.
Step6Remove the first fuse in the box, and check to see if the load problem is resolved. If not, replace the fuse and check the next one. Repeat the process with all fuses. If the fuses check out fine, you have a wiring problem.

Step7
Remove the tester and reconnect the battery. Follow the hot wire to the next connection. Remove the positive cable and connect the positive probe of the tester in its place. Connect the negative probe to a metal object. Check the meter. If the drain isn’t resolved, reconnect as normal and follow the hot wire to the next connection. Repeat this step at each connection point until you narrow down the problem.

http://www.ehow.com/how_2249402_find-parasitic-battery-drain.html

Moving is Awful

2008-08-20T12:44:00.000-07:00

So, the move is somewhat complete. You know what this means? MORE WORK! There is thought of taking a week off from work and completely submerging into the completion of this show season's modifications. I like this idea. I really like this idea. The air is cooler now, and the car is safely in another garage, and in need of some serious TLC.

The headlights, paint, rebadging, fall finishing.... All this has yet to be done. However, I have had an offer to put in the seats for FREE. This offer comes from my Dad, who is a former tuner from the 1950's and 1960's. I trust him with it, but he won't do it until I get the car painted. I can see why.

So, item #1: Bug Chad
Item #2: Install Optima Battery
Item #3: Hook Up Wires for Sound
Item #4: Finish Fall

Surprise!

2008-07-07T13:42:00.000-07:00

Every once in a while you stumble upon positive feedback that you had no idea existed in the world. The feeling is good, and I always like to point out those who are sweet enough to let us know that everything is going well. Take this entry from Hubcaps Plus:

http://wheelskin.com/WordPress/2007/07/16/hot-pink-g2-brake-caliper-paint-application/

The entry is based upon the Caliper Paint segment (http://dreamcasteclipse.blogspot.com/2007/08/whoppin-caliper-post-complete.html) in which several hours of work took place to make painted calipers look nice. Usually, painted calipers look terrible, but after hours of sanding and smoothing, they look fabulous.

Hubcaps Plus is where I purchased the G2 Pink Brake Caliper Paint. <--see the link to go purchase for your own application! Truly, I was so pleased by how good the product is, I couldn't wait to write a lengthy THANK YOU to Hubcaps Plus. In light of such a sweet response, I've added them to my Special Thanks area of this site. Especially since the calipers look precisely like they did one year ago. How many products look just as good as new, on a car, one year later? That's what I thought...

Thank you, Hubcaps Plus, for brightening our day, and offering such a great product.

REMEMBER FOLKS: If you decide to paint your calipers too, be sure to smooth out all imperfections from the factory. Calipers are popped out of a mold, and any colour will bring out the flaws. Also, take your time and do not rush. Afterwards, you'll have a wonderful set of calipers that will stand the test of time!

Unsatisfactory Preview: 99% Complete Sound Install

2008-07-07T13:34:00.000-07:00

Soon, the dial-up connection will be no more! I am in the process of moving and will have free wi-fi capability upon settling in. This will help with the updates TREMENDOUSLY!

For instance, last night I wrote a lengthy, text only update about installing the sound install. After finishing, I could not make Blogger take the entry for some reason, and upon disconnect and reboot, my entire dialing agent had un-installed itself. Go figure!

I've saved the entry on my laptop and will update ASAP. But, in the meantime, here is the most unsatisfactory picture of the sound install ever:

Taken via Blackberry Pearl. It's in, though! Now to run wires...

Sound Install- PAINTED!

2008-06-19T07:25:00.001-07:00

At long last, the sound install has been painted! It is, indeed, ready to go into the car!!!!! Here is a picture of it, painted Galaxy White (OEM Mitsubishi Colour) with the amp and sub placed in their proper spots for an overall visual.

Also, the Samba di Amigo playing Amy Rose will be placed in the controller as the animated gif. Look at her go! (if she goes on Blogger...not sure if it will work or not...)

The sound install should be completed this weekend- more pics to come!

Sound Install- OFF TO PAINT!

2008-06-16T13:50:00.001-07:00

No joke! It's off to be painted! Delivered to Chad on Sunday!!!!!!!!! It should be ready today (we can hope). If not, I'm sure I'll post pics as soon as it's delivered!

Small Random Update

2008-06-09T11:45:00.000-07:00

Car is ready for paint, tubbed install ready for paint... Waiting for Chad to be available to paint...

.....waiting........

.........................waiting............................

blarg.

The Sneak Peak Post!

2008-05-14T09:40:00.000-07:00

Backup Camera: Install COMPLETE!!!!

2008-05-14T09:25:00.000-07:00

It's not too time consuming to do. But, to do it, you have to remove the lights:

Remove the lock:

Realize there is a sizing issue:

Chisel away:

Place:

Rejoice!!!

On Order Pictures

2008-05-07T09:36:00.000-07:00

Everything pictured below are on order and should arrive soon.

LTNS!

2008-05-07T08:01:00.001-07:00

Wow! TONS of things have happened since the last post! Ye Olde 56k has made uploading pictures difficult, but there should be some images outlining the updates sometime this evening. To sum up:

Rear Camera Installed!
Headlamps Sold!
New Nose Ordered!
Fender Replaced!
Fall/DreamCast Install Framing Started!

Interior Status Shot

2008-03-24T22:39:00.000-07:00

It's been quite a while since an interior shot has been taken. This isn't anything formal, no real adjustments, no cleaning of the car; a real snapshot. But, as you can see, the shifter has been cut down and the screen still looks good! Also, there are racing pedals in there and the black diamond plate mats. Which, might I add, are fantastic! I recently heard someone saying that they were a bad idea because they can't keep their shoes stationary (slippery?). I find it quite the opposite. My heels rest against one of those diamonds and viola'! No movement and freedom to pivot between gas and brake! Anyway, they're easy to clean, look nice, and seem to work out really well. Now, if only the carpet was a tid bit darker in order to balance the mats, seats and dash better.

A New Fender

2008-03-24T22:24:00.000-07:00

Before being painted, it was decided that replacing the fender would be more cost efficient then having a body shop fix it. So, if you've ever wondered why the photographs are typically from the left side of the body, see below:

The hood is popped here so that we could get to the bolts for the fender. Also, the side marker has been removed for the same purpose. See that notch where the side marker resides? This is a spot where you put the ratchet in order to grab the bolt beneath the light without removing the front bumper.

Also, it helps tremendously to have the car on ramps. Also, please be aware that you will have to remove any rocker panels in order to get the fender off. Not the whole thing, just the panel that sits on the fender being removed. A good idea is NOT to have your mouth open talking while doing so. The bottom of your car, if you're doing this, is rather filthy. Dirt will fall into your mouth. Murphy says so. Lizzy proved it.

Photograph by Josh:

For those who have ever wondered what a car looks like without a fender, here it is:

Unfortunately, right after we bolted the fender back on, the battery in the camera died. Night came, and we were able to take the final shot:

Custom Show Plate Preview

2008-02-02T17:57:00.000-08:00

Special Thank You to Mahii!! She is an animation artist who is creating a custom show license plate for the car when she is being shown. Below is a preview of the beautiful plate, which will be screened onto a license plate blank.

Paint Scheme DECIDED

2008-01-22T14:47:00.000-08:00

Great news! Chad, who is a fantastic individual, cut the cost for the tri-tone custom paint! Now, the cost is no different from doing a solid colour. In that case, the tri-tone will be done!!

He suggested that since the colours are Mitsubishi Pearl and Candy Raspberry, to go with a glittery charcoal as the striping. I can see his point, and so I decided to allow him artistic liberty in this respect and go with the deeper striping colour, rather than glossy black.

This should be completed sometime in March, so keep your eyes open for the day it goes into the shop!

Also, the interior will be painted prior to the exterior. The seats will be installed soon, as will the finalized sound install. Overall, things are moving again on the DreamCast Eclipse!

Mitsubishi Pearl Blackberry

2008-01-10T15:12:00.000-08:00

Chad, the most wonderful painter there is, is assisting me with all my painting needs. I want to know what a colour looks like? No prob, he's got it in swatches. I want to know how much it is? No prob, he'll undercut all competition. At any rate, he's a really cool guy and a pretty good friend.

My Blackberry has been painted Mitsubishi Pearl. I love the colour, as I'm going a flat colour for this show season. Plus, I think it's interesting to have a phone painted in auto paint! At any rate, I'm debating between three different looks:

Snow Pearl
Mitsubishi Pearl
Candy Raspberry

These are all over body colours, and will spill into the interior, down the fall, and across the bottom of the center console. I haven't decided exactly what I'm doing yet, but I'll surely post when I figure it out.

2008 Nopi Show Schedule

2008-01-02T22:05:00.000-08:00

2008 Car Show Series Schedule

March 15/16 (Phoenix area) Chandler, AZ - Firebird Raceway

March 29/30 - (Atlanta area) Commerce, GA - Atlanta Dragway

April 5/6 - (Miami area) West Palm Beach, FL - Moroso Motorsports Park

April 19/20 - (St Louis area) Madison, IL - Gateway Motorsports Park

April 26/27 - (Philadelphia area) Atco, NJ - Atco Raceway

May 3/4 - (New York City area) Englishtown, NJ - Old Bridge Township Raceway

May 17/18 - (Baltimore/DC area) Budds Creek, MD - Maryland International Raceway

May 31/June 1 (Cleveland/Pittsbutgh/Buffalo area) Erie, PA - Lake Erie Speedway

June 28/29 - (Denver area) Morrison, CO - Bandimere Speedway

July 18/19 - (Salt Lake City area) West Valley City - UT Rocky Mountain Raceway

August 2/3 - (Boston area) Epping, NH - New England Dragway

August 9/10 - (Richmond area) Petersburgh, VA - Virginia Motorsports Park

August 23/24 - (New York City area) Englishtown, NJ - Old Bridge Township Raceway

September 20/21 - (Atlanta area) Hampton, GA - Atlanta Motor Speedway - NOPI NATIONALS

yoinked from www.nopi.com

Showoffcars.com Classing

2008-01-02T21:47:00.001-08:00

As a trial run to see how the public takes to the DreamCast Eclipse, the car has been entered into www.ShowoffCars.com. This is going on while the work is being done, just to see if anything dramatically is not well accepted or is dramatically accepted.

Previously, the car has been classified as a "Mild" class contestant. I was just made aware, however, that the car is now placed in the "Extreme" class. This does not bode well to holding a Street class standing in other shows.

	fusciaspyder	Mitsubishi	Eclipse	1997	8	Extreme
	status: online		In show current ranking

After researching the site criteria, the following has been discovered:

Mild, Wild and Extreme are categories which are determined by the amount of car modifications.

Mild = a few modifications Wild = more modifications
Extreme = completely custom

It is understood that everything being done to the car is custom work. Not much has been purchased and put in as a kind of "plug-n-play" ability like most modifications. Goodness knows, pool hose is being used in the engine! At any rate, I can understand being placed in the "Extreme" category.

Now, the concern is how this standing will stack up in other shows! Nopi holds the standard class tables and the following is the criteria for street class, of which is being aimed for:

Street Allows minor bolt on upgrades but no full body kits or radical wings

Well, so far so good, then!

Quotes

2008-01-02T14:42:00.000-08:00

TopShop Carbon has responded with a quote to carbon fiber wrap everything listed in the above image, plus the A Pillars. It comes out to $4,900. The breakdown is as follows:

Full Dash: $2,400, Including the piece under the column
Glove box: $160
A Pillars (Left/Right): $350
Center Console: $500
Kick Panels & Side Panels: $600
Door Sills Our door sills: $190
Front Door Panels: $700, Including cleared to match wrap
"Side Vent"Panel next to Glove Box: We will just smooth it out with dash

So, here it is! A grand total of $4,900. I'm rather impressed- it's costly but worth it.

Chad, the painter, has quoted "a few hundred dollars" to do the sound install. Basically, it's ready to go. For the car, he says anywhere between $1,500 - $2,000 to do the entire car in one colour: both the candy raspberry and the white. An XBox was painted Mitsubishi Pearl and I fell in love with it. I may go with that colour instead. As for the two toning, he wasn't quite sure what to quote. He can do it, and rumour has it that he'll quote $2,500. But, I have to get quotes from other custom shops and he'll undercut it.

Spradley's is willing do to the seat install. So, this is the most upcoming project other than finalizing the sound install. Believe it or not, it'll be around $150 to have the seats put in. We have to have the seats in to design the fall because the seats are of different dimensions from the stock seats.

Standard Render Shot : Candy Raspberry All Over

2007-12-30T21:39:00.000-08:00

Renderings from Envisio

2007-12-30T18:33:00.000-08:00

www.WheelEnvisio.com offers the ability to pick rims, see it rendered on your car, and then find dealers in order to buy the rims. This is fantastic! I had a fun time looking at this upcoming show season! This particularly was useful because I was thinking about painting the car candy raspberry rather than the snow pearl - whip and two tones to be completed for next year.

The white version is what is planned for this show season. I'm liking the raspberry- but I'll wait on the price quotes as to decide exactly what will happen.

Happy Holidays!

2007-12-26T11:55:00.000-08:00

glitter-graphics.com

from the Dream Team!

Best Rim Pic!

2007-12-08T20:12:00.000-08:00

In searching around for the worst pics, I ran across probably the best pic of the rims and calipers! Enjoy!

Status Update

2007-12-08T19:57:00.000-08:00

Another project overshadowed the sound install, so it is not complete right now. Unfortunately, it won't be completed until after the holidays. So, in light of this, I thought to post a bit about where things stand.

The engine is doing very well! Many hoses are replaced with the pool hoses and many parts are powder coated raspberry pink. More to be powder coated next year. The only major upgrade to the engine was a blow off valve. Minor upgrades include the hoses and the tower strut bar.

The wheel well is complete. Including new rims, pink calipers and painted wells. This does not include the planned lowering of the car.

White reflectors have been installed as well. We think we're going to stick with the OEM headlights. They are black, after all.

The screen install is complete. It's a 7" screen and works beautifully. The DVD player is in the glove compartment, and recent plan changes with change this location.

The fall and center console install is on hold, as is the sound install. Racing seats have arrived, however, new carpet must be purchased prior to installation. This is due to the complexity of a seat install.

DreamCast illumination has been completed. However, the power port has broken off and a new system was purchased in order to replace the broken piece. Good news, the top will pop right off the old system and onto the new system, taking the lighting with it! Also, the new system (not sure why) runs quite a bit cooler.

A new Premier headunit has been installed, and it is loved! After the holidays, the Diamond speaker system and amp will be installed, giving the Premier headunit justice.

The equivalent of $10,000 has been spent on the car since last January, and she's just about ready for the next show season. This includes $4,000 for the sound install- I had quotes from all the local shops to do it and well, this was the average price for something the team could do ourselves.

All in all, it's been a great year with lots of progress. I sincerely hope to see all those who follow this blog in the upcoming shows! Be sure to say hello!!!

Unflattering Picture Post

2007-12-08T19:35:00.000-08:00

During a recent conversation, it came up that things look easy for all the Dream Teams cars. For instance, a complete turbo install that took over two weeks for one member only gets "Oh cool, it's red" since so much is powder coated. No one notices that the entire engine has been rearranged, so to speak.

It's not because it wasn't a challenging experience, or cheap experience. In fact, all this team does on all the cars is rather expensive and stretches our problem solving skills. But what it comes down to is that no one sees the in between, the hard times. It's the start, and the end that people see. So, in honour of my team, who works so hard, I decided to post a few of the most unflattering pictures so far.

Enjoy!

The hood wouldn't close after installation of the tower strut bar. We had to cut a notch in the hood to make it fit.

Imagine cleaning this up!

This is how nasty the bondo looked prior to sanding for the sound install. Lots of sanding... lots of sanding... lots of sanding...

This was the start of the caliper paint/wheel well phase. So, this is completely OEM and not very flattering in appearance.

Last February, the car was without a center console for a bit...

Of course, this is the trunkless sound install pic

Still Sounding, After All These Years...

2007-11-30T12:39:00.000-08:00

Enjoy the pictures! Sprayed white to see all imperfections. Now moving to fine grit sandpaper to wet sand into perfection!

Scheduling Setbacks!

2007-11-27T11:01:00.000-08:00

Scheduling setbacks! Sound install components received, disaster struck, more details later.

Happy Thanksgiving

2007-11-21T09:33:00.000-08:00

glitter-graphics.com

Happy Thanksgiving from The Dream Team!!!

Sound Install Continued - Again!

2007-11-11T19:36:00.000-08:00

Today, the install continued. To get rid of the gap, as the previous sound install post indicated, we created a 1/4 inch lip to cover a gap that was not covered during initial fabrication. Once this dried, the trimming commenced.

Photograph by Josh:

To start trimming, we had to place the piece in the trunk and trace a line around the sides where the fit would remain snug, but it would completely fit into the trunk. The following image shows a bitter better what was being done:

Photograph by Josh:

The it's time to sand, sand, sand, sand, sand. Fiberglass is horrible to sand. Sometimes, it takes two people to sand something:

The high spots are removed, and now the trunk shuts completely. NO GAPS!

Doesn't it look nice:

Next step, Bondo. This is the best picture, to date:

Amy Rose on the Fall (Picture Selected!)

2007-11-09T07:57:00.000-08:00

And here is the image that will be displayed on the fall! I like this because it is an updated look to Amy and still keeps with the Amy Rose/DreamCast theme.

Sound Install Phase - Continued

2007-11-09T07:46:00.000-08:00

The sound install is continuing this weekend from last weekend! There are high spots in the glass that caused the trunk to have a gap of about 1/4 inch when shut. So, we had to take out the high spots, put new glass in, and let it dry. Due to the cold, the curing time is elongated. Darn seasons.

I would like to express that Safety is ALWAYS a Priority when working with fiber glass:

Photograph by Josh:

Now, we had to find out where the high spots were. Fortunately, because the inside of the trunk is white, the high spots are obvious:

Once we drew the circle around the high spots, we cut it out, and put new glass in. Also, we made a lip so as to make sure a tighter glove-like fit once installed.

Then, we let it dry...

Canned Idea

2007-11-07T10:16:00.000-08:00

Remember this install?

It has changed! The fiber glassed attachment wasn't working as planned, so we all sat together and brainstormed how to do this more efficiently and artistically. We came up with a great plan (thank you, Josh) and will be implementing it instead of what had previously been done.

In light of that, we removed the DreamCast from the fiber glassed shell, which snapped the power port off the back. Good thing we have spare DreamCasts...

I found several ideas about putting LEDs in the VMU. I love this idea, since the DreamPoint (CARBON FIBER FROM JAPAN! YAY!) Controller will look fantastic with the pink LED shining out of it when the pink VMU (from England) is in play. I have several colours of LEDs, so I'll likely use a mixture of colours for each individual VMU which will be modified. Rather, they'll be personalized.

The chromed VMU turned out great, except the back side. I didn't shake the paint enough and it splattered dark silver across the back. While this looks cool, it's not what I was after, so I canned the VMU shell. Good thing I have a million VMUs.

The design for the switch relay (since the embedded controller only will have the joystick and "A" functioning with the DreamCast, other buttons handling other functions like "show lighting" and "screen view change", etc.) is in progress. It's turning out that a switch relay will be used to each button, and relayed all over the car.

This means, a LOT of advanced planning.

Also, the colour scheme has changed. Now, the entire interior, aside from body raspberry pink, will be carbon fiber. Not look. Not Fake. REAL.

And it will only cost $2,000 to make it happen.

Hose Preview!

2007-11-06T16:46:00.000-08:00

So, we liked the hoses enough to replace a vast majority with them. They are standing up to the heat and pressure just fine! The hoses haven't been completely replaced yet, but the above picture is a good preview!

Teeeeniny Post

2007-11-05T13:02:00.000-08:00

This weekend was rather eventful! The back of the sound install has been completely glassed- pictures to follow. This means that in another 10 days or so, the glassed insert will be sent to be painted.

On Order:

2 Diamond Audio Door Speakers
2 Diamond Audio Tweeters
2 Diamond Audio Coaxles
2 Diamond Audio Wiring Panels

Once these items are received, they will be installed professionally (so that I can get my warranty!!!!) as well as the sub and amp. I look forward to mock installing everything in the trunk this week!

One the sound install phase is completed, the next big project will be the seat install. The reason we're going to do this first is because the design of the fall will depend greatly on the look of the seats. So, since the racing seats are sitting in the garage, they will be next on the install list.

The engine is coming along swimmingly! The tower strut bar has been installed and the main power wires extended. The focus is moving away from the engine a little bit, since getting the pieces powder coated was a bit of a distraction and not entirely on course. Small things will go out for powder coating here and there, though!

The hoses are still in the process of being replaced/covered with the pool wire. Pictures to follow.

Also needed, is an updated game list! SEVERAL games have been added to the collection and should not be ignored!!

Plans for the glove box have changed. This will be a storage area for VMU's and the passenger side controller.

The computer has been cut out of the design plan. The DreamCast can run Linux just fine, and I have the Linux CD waiting to be test run. I'm not sure precisely when this will take place, but I am positive it will be within in the next two months.

Blow Off Valve Picture

2007-10-22T17:18:00.001-07:00

Yes, be jealous. It's an HKS Super Sequential Blow Off Valve. Yeah, they were discontinued. Yeah, I nabbed one at Nopi. Oh, and I had it powder coated to match everything else.

Pictures!!

2007-10-22T17:11:00.001-07:00

Currently where we stand, minus where the interior stands...

Blown Hose Woes

2007-10-22T16:35:00.000-07:00

Every larger than normal install (albeit this was a medium sized project) has problems. The larger the install, the larger the problems, right? Well, what do you think caused this scene to occur?

A little back story. All day, the car had been driven with no problems. We tuned the blow off valve to PSSHHWHISTLE perfectly (and trust me, it sounds wonderful without popping for every little thing). We had taken it to a friends house since I had to feed and walk her dogs. We drove it around town. Finally, we decided to pick up some parts for the next project at Home Depot.

Once we arrived, I noticed the air conditioning died and warm air was coming from the vents. I pointed this out, which made Josh grouchy. I did spend over $1,000 in getting the air conditioning repaired.

While he was griping, the heat spiked, and steam started bellowing out of the engine like it was on fire. Plus, it smelled very sweet. Uh-oh!

We turned the engine off and jumped out. Although, one must never immediately open the hood when steam is billowing out. You don't know what will leap out and burn you. So, I guess we could have sauntered out of the car, rather than jump out.

After the steam died down a little, and the hood was propped open, we found the culprit:

Yes, the coolant hose for the turbo blew. Ironically, this had nothing to do with anything we had done to the engine. It just happened, and our best assumption is that she was low on coolant and the liquid boiled and burst the hose. Oops. This is why one MUST stay on top of their coolant levels.

Armed with pliers, we walked into Home Depot and purchased the tools necessary to make the car function:

Bottled Water

Bear in mind- it is not a good idea to fill the reservoir with refrigerated water. However, since we lost about 5 gallons of coolant, cold water is better than no water

Hose

We weren't sure what size to get, so we purchased both in order to make sure we got the one that worked. I returned the other.
Auto hose is not available at Home Depot. Pool hose is.

Reese's

Chocolate fixes everything.

Once the hose was installed, which looks fantastic purely by accident, the water went in. We poured it slowly in hopes that it wouldn't shock the system too much.

Here is the end product! I like the look of this hose a lot better and believe that I'll at least have all the vacuum hoses replaced with it. As you can tell, water is what was in the system, else the coolant would be a nice glowing green in the tube. It seems to be working out well, so far!

We did make sure to purchase the correct hose, just in case. It's in the car right now, but I am feeling an experiment to see how well this hose works out. Hopefully, I can keep this instead of the OEM black hose!

New Post Warning!

2007-10-22T13:25:00.000-07:00

Woosh! The Dream Team is rather grumpy! It could be that a gorgeous weekend proved to be full of ups and downs, and today it is raining cats and dogs. After all, there are 3 show cars in this mix, plus a drag/drift race car to be built in the near future.

At any rate, the engine finally was completely put back together and driven. The loud sound from the blow-off valve would make anyone feel excited to drive turbo. However, like any medium sized project, drama must occur. I think I'll leave this for a post with pictures; I just wish I had captured the steam flowing thickly from the engine in a photograph to open the post with!

The new, not broken DreamCast arrived, and allowed itself a decent distraction from some car work. Good news, though! It didn't prevent any work from occuring!

I'll post more later- including a nice full body shot!

The Pictures!

2007-10-12T09:46:00.000-07:00

I have finally taken real pictures of the install! More will be sent to be coated as the colour looks fantastic. Also, the killer glass will be an interesting addition as a radiator hose! I can't wait to see how it looks! Enjoy the pics!

This is my favourite shot of the engine so far. The missing hose is the radiator hose that will be replaced with KillerGlass and will illuminate bright green.

See the missing hose now?

This is the new blow-off valve. The car hasn't been turned over with these parts installed (obviously), so I'm not sure exactly how it sounds. I'm sure there will be an update about the first time she's driven after all this is done!

THANK YOU JEFF!

Sneak Peak!

2007-10-11T11:25:00.001-07:00

Here is a sneak peak to the powdercoating install!!!

More Powdercoating Pictures! YAY!

2007-10-06T15:13:00.000-07:00

The powder coating has been completed for Part 1! I see this turning into a several part project...

Anyway, the picture is as follows:

The red pieces are for the XBox Talon, but the purple/pink (raspberry) pieces are for the DreamCast Eclipse. So, pay attention to the raspberry stuff. The main stripe will likely be adjusted to colour match- just a fair bit of warning.

Everything has been shipped back to me as of this morning. I'm VERY excited!

The strut bars came in and have been test fitted. After looking at them in the engine, I think the top bar will be powder coated to match. I'll have pictures once everything is installed again. I'm 100% sure there will be more to have powder coated once these items have been installed again.
YAY!

Pictures taken by Jeff Ford.

Powder Coating Pictures!

2007-09-29T15:03:00.000-07:00

The powder coater, Jeff (yes, we have changed powder coating guys), has just sent an update of one of the engine components!! The colour is great, and I look forward to updating with the install pictures once everything has been sent back!

Random Update

2007-09-24T14:58:00.000-07:00

The sound system hasn't changed, due to attending Nopi and several other distractions. This week, it is hopeful that the install will be ready for paint! A House of Kolor representative assisted in picking the precise colours that we were looking for while at Nopi. He was a great man to work with and the brilliant pink will be used on the car body as well.

So, we have on order that should arrive this week:

Strut Bars: Full Set

DreamCast: Yes, a new one. The old one has a broken power socket (oops! my bad!)

New A/C Panel: YAY! Now to fix the alternator so the same problem doesn't happen again...

Also, the engine has been dismantled a bit and pieces have been sent for powder coating. The items include:

NEW Blow-off Valve Cover (Purchased at Nopi!)

Heat Shield

Miscellaneous Hose Clamps

Temp. housing cover

I'll be having glass hoses made for the radiator as well. See below for a sample picture from KillerGlass:

In the Shop Photo

2007-08-22T11:46:00.001-07:00

*SIGH* Alternator.... why oh why won't you work correctly?

Sound Install Phase: The Construction

2007-08-20T09:10:00.000-07:00

Due to a lack of good camera, these photographs were taken by a cell phone or two! However, due to a territorial Dream Team, details on how this stuff was manufactured will not be released. So, enjoy these photographs, instead:

The Grill for the Sub

The support system in the trunk.

The nifty support for the sealed box.

The supports themselves for the amp and sub.

Glassing Stretch Work. This is what you do before you glass any surface.

The other side

Advance Woes Take 1

2007-08-15T06:58:00.000-07:00

Last weekend was horrible. At about 100 miles away from 80,000, the alternator dies. This caused a panic, as it occurred Friday night. Due to this, the Dream Team hit Advance where we have done a lot of business.

The customer service guy was absolutely fantastic and sold us an alternator for $136.00. This was to be delivered from the Atlanta store to the Chattanooga store overnight and could be picked up Saturday morning at 7:30. Great deal, right? When asked about the core charge, he waived it since he had laboriously tested my alternator in the parking lot and knew I would have to get a new one installed in order to bring back the old one. Paid for it all; done deal.

...or so we thought...

After slow charging the battery overnight, we drove over to Advance to pick up the alternator. Receipt in hand, the person behind the desk looked at it, and told me "I'm sorry, he made a mistake last night. I have to charge you $75 for the core charge."

Bear in mind, my car is running on a battery in the parking lot during this conversation. If I turned her off, she wouldn't start back up.

I look at Josh and say, "They aren't giving me the alternator..." and he says, "What!?"

"I'm sorry, but you have to give us the old alternator first," says the person behind the desk.

"Ma'am, we can't give it to you since the alternator is in the car. We are on the way to a mechanic to have this installed and we can bring it back," was his reply.

"Sorry. No."

Curt reply made, I began to cry. "What!? We discussed this last night! I don't HAVE the $75 to give you! The alternator is in my car, right now, with a battery which is draining, and I NEED to have the alternator!"

With that, the person behind the desk progresses to say, "Look, ma'am, you're going to need to calm down. You can't have this alternator without the old one being turned in, or paying the $75 core fee."

Josh replies, "Look, you're about to lose this sale. We can't give it to you and she's already paid for the alternator."

"Sorry, no. This is a corporate situation. I have to have the alternator first," was the reply.

"I can't believe this," I say. "May I please speak to your manager?"

"I am the manager."

"Fine. May I have the district manager telephone number?"

"Yes, but he is out of town until Monday," she says. After she writes the number down, she progresses to pick up my alternator AND receipt, and takes it off behind the desk.

Wide-eyed, I say, "Hey! Just give me a refund then!"

"Fine, I'll be happy to do that. But the refund won't complete until Monday." Remember, this is Saturday. I don't have the $75 to give, I JUST missed the appointment with the mechanic, and I'm already out the cost of the alternator. This means I can't just go buy another one elsewhere.

She goes off to help another customer and I sneakily grab the receipt. A series of calls later, by Dan and Josh and myself, we find a mechanic who can do the install. While giving up the $75 to get my alternator out of ransom, Josh progresses to ask about the core charge. "Where does it stop? I mean, we purchased fuses yesterday and I want to make sure-"

"Look, now you're being sarcastic," came the reply. "No I'm not-" "Yes you are!!! You don't need to have an attitude with me."

"He's NOT being sarcastic! You want sarcasm, I can give you sarcasm, lady," was my response.

I give up the $75 and take off with the alternator, which I did, indeed, return the original. I hate that they have it. And now, come to find out, the alternator is busted. Go figure.

Advance Woes Take 2

2007-08-15T06:56:00.000-07:00

http://www.carcare.org/Electrical/voltage_regulator.shtml

FYI Advance get the last laugh, The Voltage regulator is not "cutting" power when it needs to. The alternator charges valotage from 12 volts up into 15-16 volts depending on Rpm, The higher the RpM the higher the voltage will go, You reved your car into 3000 rpm range and the Voltage regulator failed to "cuttoff" the excess voltage produced, therefor raising the cars voltage, most components in a car can handle that for a short time, which is why your radio still works but it blew your dash light, So hence you need to install a voltage regulator either back on the alternator and or aftermarket, without a regulator the alternator will go out quickly because the never gets a rest, never cuts off power when you dont need it. This of course is the dumbest thing to happen but whatever, probably because the one you have is used and maybe had an existing problem. External ones can be purchased, Its not that big of a deal but You want to have one working or the alternator theoretically will have less life and ofcourse before reinstalling another dash light kit. I have pinpointed the problem now I just nee to find a regulator

To Be Expected...

2007-08-13T07:16:00.000-07:00

Our very own "Hot Stuff Dan" has created an entirely new design for the sound system equipment placement. Turns out, and he is the expert with sound, that due to the sound waves created by bass, the sub should be located at the back of the car. That being said, a very simple trunk install will occur with lighting and showing off of the Diamond equipment! Thank you, Dan!! On top of this, the install will start at 9:00am sharp this upcoming Saturday, and will end roughly at about 5:00pm. The idea is to make it all happen in one day, and we think it is feasible.

The floor mats came in, as well! The black doesn't look right against the light gray carpet. This, however, will change as the carpet will inevitably be darker and the racing seats will echo the black. The interior is tri-coloured: black, pink, and gray.

In sad news, it appears a possible electrical issue has cropped up. The gauges illuminated bright and then dimmed (voltage surge?), but the A/C gauges are fried. So, that means a new set possibly will need to be created, which isn't a big deal. It is a big bummer, though.

Whoppin' Caliper Post: COMPLETE!!!!

2007-08-03T11:04:00.000-07:00

Here it is! The Giant Whoppin' Caliper Post! A little late, but better late than never, right?

First, you'll want to jack the car up. You do NOT want the e-brake on when working with the rear calipers. In lieu of showing the rear, this image shows a great way to ensure your car won't roll back and hurt someone, or break something:

First, shield with paper (we used paper towels, ironically) everywhere that will not be painted. This was the car body. Look at the icky white streaks in the well and the horrid rust!

Get out your tools and start sanding away all rust. Also, be sure to thoroughly clean the entire well so that no mud, dirt, rocks, etc. is left. If something is left, paint won't stick. Also, as a note, when working on the front brakes, be sure to be extremely detail oriented and get rust off like so:

Big difference, yes? DO wear safety glasses. A grain of steel can really tear up in your eye. Yes, this did happen, likely shortly after this photograph was taken. Anyway, back to that rear disk:

Clean it. Clean it. Clean it.

Then, do things in reverse. Mask off the portions that you don't want black. Then, paint the wheel well black. Afterwards, mask off the well. Paint everything you want silver (or other colour). Be sure to use high temp paint so nothing catches on fire while running down the highway, let alone come free from whatever you painted. Ew. Chipping.

Next, wait for the paint to dry. Or, be proactive about paint drying:

Next, paint the calipers:

Done!

Reflector Cleaning

2007-08-02T11:42:00.001-07:00

The tail reflectors were absolutely dirty. This happens over time, with UV light and dirt and many other things natural and not attacking the reflectors. Here is how they started:

Sickly yellowish green that reminds me of the green goo found in a creek that housed frog eggs and tasted terrible. (That's if you were bold enough to eat anything at a young, exploratory age of 4)

To fix, you first have to pop the reflector out of the socket. Here is how it looks:

Once out, you can see that the reflector is attached by rather short wires. Never fear! Nothing a small bit of wet sanding cannot cure!!!

Dip your very fine sand paper in water, and start making circular motions around the reflector. The reflector MUST be wet in order for this to work and not scratch the surface!

Be sure to get the inside corners and muck gets caught in there too! After you get it the colour you want, it should look like a cloudy white reflector, like this:

Once you have achieved this result, the next step is to buff the light with a buffer and buffing compound. I have the buffer, but no compound, so the lights are staying like this until the weekend. Oh well, it's better than the I've-got-the-flu-snot colour they were!

On Order

2007-08-01T09:47:00.000-07:00

Image from ProExhaust

Image from A1 Performance Parts.

Image from Performance Import Trends

On Order: black floor mats. We think this will flow with the seats and accents nicely enough. The interior is tri coloured: Pink, Black & Grey. Carpet will go on order shortly.

The fender is on the way. Next on the order are headlights and a new nose. After that? Paint, carpet, and paint the fall. The custom hard top is coming soon as well...

Oh! Also, custom camper/trunks will be in the works for carrying things to shows. Who knew????

Linux also is on the way to start programming the computer to handle all sorts of nifty things for the car. This is including the recording of several cameras if the alarm is set off or not. Much, much love for the Linux.

The car also will have the steel braided brake lines installed soon, too. Philip will be called in to get those done as soon as they are received.

Fenders!

2007-07-31T07:31:00.000-07:00

A fender is on the way!!! This means that the nose and headlights will quickly follow in order to get the nose/fenders painted white at the same time.

Also, construction of the fall will start this weekend, if all goes to plan.

Carpet decisions have been made- a dark Agate will be used as a contrast to the lighter tones and striking pink that will flow through the car. This being said, it's not decided if the pink/black racing seats will work in the car.

Invitation

2007-07-27T08:27:00.000-07:00

Caliper Preview!!!

2007-07-15T08:06:00.000-07:00

Yes, this is just a preview!!! More details to follow this week!

2007-07-09T09:54:00.000-07:00

Items have been received! The caliper paint arrived last week with a two day shipping schedule. I'm impressed! The new side markers arrived. Now I can sell the one that isn't ruined, I suppose?

At any rate, nothing was done to the car this past weekend. For some reason, it just didn't happen...

On Order!

2007-06-29T10:56:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted an on order post in a long time! Sadly, it's very small comparatively:

More Pink LEDS

Brake Caliper Paint (Epoxy Style)

New Clear Side Markers

Unfortunately, this past weekend, a side marker fell out without my knowledge. Due to the length of the wires, it rested squarely on the front tire and since I drove quite a distance at the time, the side marker became quite black. I placed an order for a new set immediately.

Usually I would rather powder coat the calipers, but here are the details on the paint:

"This 2 part epoxy style brake caliper paint has twice the heat resistance of the single piece brush on kits available. Plus this kit offers chemical and corrosion resistance the other kits can't offer.

This complete DIY Kit brushes on smooth and easy, with no brush marks what so ever, is heat resistant up to 932 degrees, and seals and protects against corrosion and chemicals." -Hubcaps Plus

After debate, it was decided to go ahead and get the paint and spend an entire day sanding and buffing and cleaning two calipers. Yes, only two will get painted at a time (I think the best side will be the one with the lack of side marker and a giant dent in the fender- just for laughs.) The estimated work-time will be approximately 8 hours.

Here is a picture for the colour (and yes, the calipers pictured are both touched up and had a LOT of work done to make them flawless... just like mine will look like at the end of the experience...):

Image from supplier, Hubcaps Plus

DreamCast Installation Progress

2007-06-27T05:47:00.001-07:00

The center console had to be cut down to fit the DreamCast perfectly. This isn't a big deal, and took no time at all. See here:

Once it fit about right, and the imagination could see cloth stretched and the final product, we decided to see how it would look. Approximately.

Yes, that is approximately what it will look like. I mean, the cloth will be stretched and fiber glassed, and of course painted, etc. But, this is a good abstract vision of the end product. Oh, and yes, Fast and the Furious is on the DVD player if you recognize it by the tiny little screenshot.

Satisfied, the actual stretching of the cloth commences:

Then the fiber glassing:

I left out a ton of steps where tape was used along with foil to keep the glass from adhering permanently to the center console. That would take forever and too many pictures and would likely bore everyone, so suffice to say that this is the end product:

The Glowing Dreamcast Post

2007-06-22T09:39:00.001-07:00

As the teaser picture showed, the mods on the DreamCast itself are complete. The whole process only took approximately two hours- just long enough to watch The Fast and the Furious on my car DVD player. I had no idea that I had surround sound capability in my car. Granted, it makes sense, it's just I had never thought about it before.

First, you start out with your DreamCast:

It needed a bath, so it was immediately taken apart. Here you can see both pieces of the DreamCast:

It needed a really good scrubbing:

After cleaning, you then plot out where you would like your LEDs to shine through. This will act as a map for both drilling holes (so the light can shine through) and LED placement:

Somewhere along the line, I lost the spring to keep the door shut. My ghetto fix is featured in this photo, along with the Daisy Chain of LEDs (...also sometimes called ghetto):

The chain of LEDs allow light to shine through safely and brightly, like the following pictures feature:

Picture Teaser!!!!!

2007-06-22T06:21:00.000-07:00

Detailed descriptions to follow. Be teased by the glowing DreamCast.

Random Show Picture

2007-06-19T05:26:00.000-07:00

Photograph Taken by Josh

I know this doesn't have anything to do with the site, but I had to post this picture of our very own "Hot Stuff Dan" at a recent show. Note the shirts, and what is going on in this image. It's humerous if you know anything about the brands on the shirts and what that means about the expressions.

Cost Totals!

2007-06-13T13:43:00.000-07:00

Every once in a while it is a good idea to run numbers to see where your costs are.

YTD: $3,045.30

This includes all work completed this year!!!!

Eventful Weekend!

2007-06-11T09:34:00.000-07:00

Many things were accomplished this past weekend which pushed Phase 1 into near completion. It is my estimation that 99% of Phase 1 (this is excluding the Fall) will be completed by this weekend at the latest. Of course, pictures will follow, but in summary this is what was done:

Inverter Wiring Mounted
DreamCast Customization (Pink Glow!!!)
Replacement of Battery Corroded Contacts
Glassing Prep for Center Console
DreamCast Fitment
One VMU Customization

Not bad, really!

Deletions by Mistake

2007-05-31T09:11:00.001-07:00

In all the glory of technology, I messed up, and deleted all postings for the month of May. To recap, here are the posts, which I had copied into a different blog which is not available for public viewing:

5/3/07-ish

The Amp is HERE!!!!

Brand:
Diamond Audio
RMS Power Output:
300 x 1 @ 2 Ohm
Peak Power Output:
600 x 1 @ 2 Ohm
Signal To Noise Ratio:
100dB
Frequency Response:
20Hz-20KHz
Input Sensitivity:
N/A
THD @ 4 Ohm RMS Power:
0.05%
Ohm Load Stability:
1 Ohm
Low Level Input:
Yes
Built in Cooling Fan:
No
Bass Control Knob:
No
Dimensions:
15.75"L x 8.5"W x 2.25"H

5/30/07

Sitting on 24, in the heat and humidity, it is expected that one should feel a cold breeze that would keep any sunbeam away. Contrariwise, it was so hot I was sweating in my suit. Indeed, it was hotter in my car than outside.

Why is this, one might ask? Wasn't there a post (see below) about $700 being paid, approximately, to have functioning air conditioning? Yes, I answer, this is true. HOWEVER, the A/C saga continues.

I dropped the car off at Mitsubishi early this morning prior to their opening. They have a key drop which is incredibly convenient. I then went on to work and received a call from Ben. He said a hose had exploded and that he did have the part there at the shop and the total cost for everything would run $180.

Bewildered, because I was at work and had just finished a statistics meeting for two hours, I said fine...

Shortly there-after, though, my mind started working. I spent in excess of $700 to have functioning a/c. In fact, I told them that I didn't care about the cost, just make it work. They, allegedly, did. Two things came to mind:

1. Why this expensive if they have the part for such a simple job?
2. Isn't it THEIR fault this happened?

These two thoughts expanded into the idea that I was being taken advantage of because I am a female RICEr. In truth, the hose could only have exploded by having too much pressure applied, which the shop would have had to have done. Secondly, I didn't hear an explosion, so they must have lied and a leak was to blame. Thirdly, in either case, when the shop installed all the parts necessary to fix the a/c to begin with, both instances are exceptionally easy to see with the naked eye and prevent. Any small testing would show it, or the hose was corroded enough that it would have been an obvious problem.

Further, I was told that "Things will only get worse" prior to concluding my initial conversation. How? The hose is effectively not attached as it exploded for whatever reason, and as far as I am aware, this does not have a large bearing on the functionality of the engine as a hole.

I concede, she is a 1997. However, she has less than 80k miles.

I made some calls to the DreamTeam and confirmed my assumptions and listened to them become irate over the situation. With this in mind, I was to have a conversation with the mechanic who has decided to continue ownership over my car. (I've paid about $10,000 to this shop in repairs since purchasing the car and that gives many of the mechanics a bit of affection towards the car.)

What also came to mind was that they did, indeed, rip out my head unit at last visit. They did NOT use the keys to remove the head unit, which I did place in prominent display so as removal would be simple. I don't have a cheap head unit, and fortunately it was not ruined. Although, the drill hole is stripped and I'll have to make another one.

I was not happy.

To make a long story short, I felt as though I were being taken advantage of, and both my parents had a "discussion" with Ben shortly after I updated them to the situation. I did not know they had done this, and by the time I had MY "discussion", the details were essentially hashed out and poor Ben had to also deal with my understanding of the situation. He conversed with his manager and received approval to replace the hose at wholesale cost plus two hours of labour. (I can agree with this from a business standpoint) The total cost is now: $180.

Back from Mitsubishi!

2007-04-27T06:38:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I was called since my car was finally finished. Since the shop closes at 5:30pm, and I get off work at 5:00pm, I had to book it to Mitsubishi in order to pick up the car. Happily, the A/C works! So does the heat! It works! However, for every good, there is a balance of bad.

I plugged my iPod in so I could listen to music on the way home. Immediately, I realize that NO SOUND was coming from my car. At a red light, I looked over to the head unit and found it, upside down, laying on the pass side floor. With a huge sigh, I realize the guys at Mitsubishi had to rip out my head unit for whatever reason.

A few lights later, I went over a nasty bump, and my glove box flew open. FORTUNATELY, my DVD player didn't fly out. Mental note: velcro that down inside the glove box!! The DVD player continued to work properly, but the glove box continued to pop open for no real reason at all.

I called Josh, and he said that it's due to the glove box not being aligned correctly and that he'll take care of it as soon as we can get to working on the car again. He also said he would bolt the head unit back into place. (Oh, and we think the controllers will be done by this weekend! YAY!)

When the head unit is bolted, I think placing the cover over it would be a good idea. Hopefully, next time my car goes to Mitsubishi, they won't rip it out of my car. I can't imagine why they would go through that direction for anything A/C related, but oh well!

Progress Update

2007-04-26T10:49:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted pics of where we are going or where we are currently in a long time! Since things are on hold this week, I thought it prudent to post the pics, just to assess where we are with everything.

First, the Exterior (because less is done):

This is the exterior plan. The front headlamps are NOT going to be blue anymore. They're going to remain black, and as close to stock as possible. We may go with projectors, I'm not sure. Currently, the amber side markers are replaced since they clashed with the pink. The obnoxious pink will be done in crystal effects and will likely be a darker shade. Rims are installed, the decal has always been there for GirlzSpeed (which that and one DreamCast decal will be all the decals planned). The tail lights have yet to be tinted, but other than that, the exterior will be completed AFTER the interior has been completed. Misc. engine modifications will occur during the process, but will be focused on after the exterior paint. Or maybe, before. I haven't decided for sure, yet.

This is my GirlzSpeed decal. Check out www.GirlzSpeed.com to see why that's there. No, it doesn't make my car faster, but I'm a member of this particular club and enjoy it thoroughly. It's JUST getting started again with a new president. (We went MIA for a year) I'll start recruiting local female auto enthusiasts shortly.

The Interior

The interior is going well. The LCD screen is installed, as is the head unit. The DVD player is in the glove box rather than under the seat. I like this arrangement a bit better! The LED chains haven't been made yet, but I'm sure will be done once the DreamCast is fully installed. The shifter knob has changed, and has been lowered. The epoxy fix worked just fine. We found out we didn't use a metal putty, but a plastic putty. Good going, right? That's why it shattered! It's all fixed now, and at least it wasn't some dramatic mistake. The pedals are installed, although we're not happy w/how the foot rest looks over the stock footrest. That will change. Period.

So, this is where we are right now. So much more to go. I think I'm exhausted already!

RICE Definition

2007-04-26T06:46:00.000-07:00

Yes, I am aware that the DreamCast Eclipse falls under the RICE category at this time. RICE is defined, by www.UrbanDictionary.com, as follows:

(Ricer: from the latin word Ricarius meaning to suck at everything you attempt)

A person who makes unecessary modifications to their most often import car (hence the term "rice") to make it (mostly make it look) faster. The most common modifications are (but not limited to):

- Huge exhaust that serves no purpose but to make the car louder
- Large spoiler on the back that looks like something Boeing made for the 747
- Lots of after-market company stickers they don't have parts from, but must be cool
- Expensive rims that usually cost more than the car itself
- Bodykit to make the car appear lower, usually accented with chicken wire
- Clear tail lights and corner signals
- A "performace intake"- a tube that feeds cold air to their engine usually located in areas of excessive heat (behind or on top of the engine)
- Most of these riced cars (a.k.a. rice rockets or rice burners) are imports; Honda Civics, Accords, Integras, CRXs, RSXs, Del Sols Mitsubishi Eclipses, Lancers, Subaru Imprezas, however there are some domestics such as Chevrolet Caviliers, Dodge Neons, Ford Focus; small, slow, economy cars designed specifically to go slow. Please note that some Supras, Skylines, WRX's and other higher performance imports are designed to go fast, and are therfore not always considered rice. It really depends on the severity of the case. The "ricer" attempts to make their car "performance" by adding the modifications listed above. These ricers are not confined to any one ethnic group or color, however different ethnic groups are known for certain styles.

Honda Civics with big spoilers and 4" exhaust tips are considered to be ricers.

A/C

2007-04-24T05:46:00.000-07:00

The car is at Mitsubishi. What was supposed to be a $300 fix turns out to be at $732 fix. Three parts needed to be ordered for the car to get functioning A/C other than the compressor clutch. So, the parts have been ordered and Mitsubishi is babysitting the car through the end of this week!

Due to a death, work on the car is postponed until next week.

Small Useless Update

2007-04-19T07:13:00.000-07:00

The controller phase is still going! The holes have been cut and it's still being sanded to make all pretty. Slow going, but it'll look nice in the end. Plans for this week are fairly sparce. The controller MIGHT be done. I hope it is, though, so when I take the car to Mitsubishi on Monday morning the car doesn't look like it's taken apart.

Lovely Amy Rose Picture!

2007-04-16T08:12:00.000-07:00

This is by Tigerfog of DeviantArt. I think it's absolutely beautiful, and has no real place in the car, but it's beautiful and I decided to post it. :)

Pedal Installation: COMPLETE!!!

2007-04-16T05:30:00.000-07:00

...well, as complete as can be right now. They were a bear to install. Thank you, Josh!

BEFORE:

AFTER:

We're debating what to do about the stock footrest being longer than the after-market. I think we'll cut it away once the new carpet goes in. The carpet also will be a darker shade, so that should make things blend a tid-bit better as well.

Controller Continuation

2007-04-16T05:25:00.000-07:00

The controller has been glassed and is doing alright. There will be much sanding to make it look fantastic, but hey, that's what sand paper is for, right? The mp3 player case has been opened as well in order to start the process of getting that image to start up in the VMU slot.

Interestingly enough, we have to turn the screen around, so the image had to be redone to show upside down. Here it is:

And of course, this is a picture of the guts of the inside of the mp3 player that is being used. The screen is the perfect dimensions for the VMU slot, so for that we're very happy. Next task is forcing the software to load the one image for forever more.

What struck us, however, is that the mp3 player was made in Korea, right? Not quite! Check out the ENGLISH markings on this board:

Appointments

2007-04-09T10:05:00.000-07:00

April 23, 2007, the A/C will be fixed by the local Mitsubishi dealership. They've referred to a different mechanic to have the top fixed, but in the end, the A/C will finally be working. The A/C has not worked in the past 6 years, so I'm hoping that this is the last trip I will take to Mitsubishi regarding the A/C.

Shortly after, the steering wheel will be ordered! YAY!

Phillip and I are working together to decide when he can install the pedals. According to the local powder coaters, they cannot be powder coated clear. Due to this, no other hold up exists in regards to installing the pedals.

Oh! The Controller Phase! It's just about complete! The glassing is done, and now it's on to detailing. It looks really good right now! The Dream Team decided to work on both controller phases for both cars at the same time, so that's why one isn't done yet. Pictures should be uploaded by the middle of this week.

During this week, it's a personal goal to have completed the animated VMU slot! That way, we can hook up the animation to the rest of the electronics and not have a gaping hole sitting there when I take the car down to Mitsubishi.

The next planned phase after the controller is the installation of the DreamCast. I'd like to get an undercar kit at some point during this process as well, but all things come in time. Now that I have a switch panel (or controller), I can start wiring in lighting and such. Fun times!

The guys at Mitsubishi are going to have a fit...

On Order

2007-04-06T11:48:00.000-07:00

Okay, things are on order again. We have on order the amp for the sound system and a hub adapter for the steering wheel. The wheels are becoming less abundant which means the prices will fall soon. I am lined up to jump on the wheel as soon as the prices drop!

That's about it. We have the vinyl hanging out, the Diamond subwoofer and a few DreamCast decals that aren't installed yet. The backup camera is hanging out as well, so we have some odds and ends to install still.

The team has been focusing a little on the XBox Talon as it fell behind schedule. In a few months, the DreamCast Eclipse surpassed the XBox Talon and became ahead of schedule. So, in the end, the schedules will balance out!

The XBox Talon site is in progress and I'll be starting updates so you can see where things are with the partner car. Both are staying in street class and I think it'll be interesting to have them competing against each other.

Pink Valve Cover Phase: COMPLETE!!!

2007-04-05T14:04:00.000-07:00

The Pink Valve Cover Installation Phase is COMPLETE!

Above is how the valve cover looked prior to the installation. Yes, it's dirty and now we have an excuse to get it detailed. :)

This is Phillip getting the old valve cover off which I would not suggest anyone trying to do who is not a mechanic. Due to this, detailed pictures of the process will not be posted.

This is the end result! Isn't it beautiful?

Random Picture Post

2007-04-04T12:16:00.000-07:00

These pictures were left over from some of the projects and had yet to be uploaded onto this site. We're trying to figure out what colour to powder coat the calips in the rim shot, but I think it's a NICE shot showing off the rim itself. Nothing else, just the rim. Sexiness.

...and here we have the VMU from the US, and the pink, better VMU from the UK:

This is the backup camera:

Sad times....

2007-04-04T09:40:00.000-07:00

The putty holding the gear shifter in has shattered. Epoxy will repair.

sad times...

Controller VMU Hole

2007-03-26T08:48:00.000-07:00

Okay, the VMU slot in the controller is not working out too well. We played with the idea of putting in a controller for the radio, but then the signal won't reach. So, I decided to tear up an mp4 player and have a little screen play a constant little animation that looks like this:

Showing Off the Valve Cover

2007-03-21T08:30:00.000-07:00

Yeah okay, so it's not installed yet, but here it is :)

I'm trying to figure out how to better integrate all the systems together at the moment...

Small Useless Update

2007-03-20T09:11:00.000-07:00

The pedals have arrived! They're absolutely gorgeous! SO gorgeous, the response was to stare at the pedals in awe. The carbon fiber glitters, literally. They are much more beautiful than the pictures from the provider. They haven't been installed yet. We're debating having a clear coat put on them to protect them a little better. In either case, they're very nice and suit our needs to a T.

They'll look FANTASTIC with the momo steering wheel once ordered! However, that will be after the A/C is fixed and the top has a new canvas on it. The canvas is being ordered this week and the valve cover is on the way. Chad did a BEAUTIFUL job on the valve cover!!! I'll be taking the Eclipse down to the shop to have both pieces installed by a professional installer due to the team not having the tools necessary to make those two elements happen. :)

Controller Phase: Started!

2007-03-15T10:32:00.000-07:00

The switch panel phase, which we lovingly call the Controller Phase, has started. This has been bumped out from the DreamCast phase because it's taking us more than one day to complete. Not because we're lazy! But because well, we're lazy. At any rate, the cup holder for the stock Eclipse looks like this:

We took the cup holder portion out, by cutting it away. Replacing the cup holder is a controller, which will be re-wired to be a switch panel. It will control the lighting, the power, the switching between views on the monitors. I am thinking about wiring the joy stick as a mouse and the start button as a left click as well. All technical stuff aside, this is how it turned out:

This is the bottom, prior to wiring. We'll glass over this sometime this weekend and make it all stock looking without being stock.

Vinyl & Finished Bezel Pictures

2007-03-15T10:24:00.000-07:00

The pink vinyl has been received! There are many pieces pre-cut for the car. We're now debating what to put in and what not to put in. I am very sure we'll wind up with extra, which is great! The installation of the vinyl isn't set for any time soon, though. The fall has to be completed first. But in any case, here is a picture of the vinyl:

Since I promised, here is a finished picture of the bezel:

Games Collected To Date

2007-03-14T07:26:00.000-07:00

Dragonriders
Description

Based on the writings of Anne McCaffrey, DRAGONRIDERS: Chronicles of Pern was actually developed in conjunction with the author. Whether or not you're a dedicated fan of McCaffrey's fantastical writing, you'll be swept up in the magic of this magical tale. The Weyr people have recently lost a leader, and now a horrible disease is sweeping the countryside. Killing off all of the lesser Dragonriders, the illness is sparing few in its widespread contagion. Play as D'Kor, an expert Dragonrider of the Bronze Smanth, as you try to put an end to the hideous disease by getting to its roots. Set in a lush, vast, 3D world, this installment of the popular series offers improved graphics, incredible sound, and a more thorough gaming experience overall. Packed with puzzles, individual quests, and rough battle scenes, the game is a perfect blend of several gaming elements. Weyr needs you, so get riding!

Sonic Adventure
Description

The hedgehog with an attitude makes his triumphant return to the world of videogames in SONIC ADVENTURE. Using the power of the Dreamcast, Sonic has been catapulted into the third dimension with style. Racing at supersonic speeds through nearly 50 gorgeous, fully 3D levels, Sonic will have to adapt to the new challenges and dangers invented by the evil Dr. Robotnik. Sonic knows when he's outmatched, though, so he's recruited five friends including Amy Rose, Tails, and Knuckles to help him put a stop to Robotnik's evil scheme. Each playable character features different abilities, playing through levels differently and seeing the story evolve from their own perspectives. Players can even collect tiny creatures called Chao, save them to a VMU, and raise them on the go then bring them back into the game world for competition! Your favorite blue hedgehog enters the next generation of games with style in SONIC ADVENTURE.

Sonic Shuffle
Description

It's party time! SONIC SHUFFLE allows you to play as your favorite characters from the SONIC THE HEDGEHOG series in a party game for the Sega Dreamcast. Play as Sonic the Hedgehog, Tails, Knuckles, and many more characters as you compete in environments straight out of SONIC ADVENTURE. These environments are so realistic, you'll swear you're playing in real life! Featuring intense mini-games, unique cel-shading graphics, and pumping music, this is one Sonic game you don't want to miss.

Bomberman Online
Description

Everyone's favorite bomb-toting hero is back. With addictive battles, frantic new modes, and brand new stages, Bomberman Online offers explosive action for all.

Toy Commander
Description

You are the armchair General in charge in Sega's TOY COMMANDER for the Dreamcast. In this 3D action-filled adventure you'll need to marshal together your army of kiddie playthings and thwart the plans of the opposing evil toy army. Hours of gameplay combat are here for your enjoyment as you execute devastating attacks against well-entrenched targets laughing as you go. Control miniature vehicles and troops in a cartoon-inspired house containing eight sprawling rooms over three varied floors. Don't be lulled into complacency by the sweet smiling faces and shiny colors of your tiny enemies these teensy-weensy soldiers are armed and dangerous and looking to blow you sky-high. You'll need to plan carefully for victory as you wage frenzied warfare in a flooded kitchen packed with tiny subs, a child's bedroom, hallways, the living room, and more. Command tanks, planes, helicopters, trucks, jeeps, and battalions of troops in a cute but cutthroat battle for supremacy. In the TOY STORY-meets-PATTON mayhem of TOY COMMANDER, the warfare is filled with games as well as guns.

Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future
Description

An evil force has struck Earth, and the harmony created by kindred spirits -- dolphins and humans -- is in mortal danger. The force ripped a hole in the space/time continuum, and one dolphin, Ecco, fell through into the past. Our fine finned hero is back in full 3D as the award-winning series continues with Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future on Sega Dreamcast. His mission: to restore the former dolphin/human paradise, save the planet from self-destruction, and win back his future. To do this, you must help Ecco recover the stolen dolphin-power that has been scattered throughout time and space. The bottlenosed dolphin travels through mysterious and breathtaking underwater worlds filled with puzzles, friends, foes, and danger. The graphics in Ecco are just astounding and have floored critics with their unprecedented beauty and sheer detail -- this is one game that takes full advantage of Sega Dreamcast's power.

Virtua Tennis
Description

VIRTUA TENNIS from Sega is essentially a graphically splendid, feature-rich take on the SNES classic SUPER TENNIS. You can choose one of several real-life tennis pros, select Singles or Doubles mode, and make your ball-bouncing way through levels of ever-increasing challenge. Controlling your swing and ball direction is simple and elegant: one button is used for normal swings and one button is for lobs, and you control the direction of your shot with the analog stick. The duration of the button press determines how powerful your shot is, meaning you have control over every element of every shot. Compete in Exhibition mode against your friends and watch the multiplayer mayhem ensue, and engage in Four-Player Doubles matches that are court-crowding parties of sporting madness. Customize the rules for victory, enjoy a slew of mini-games (like knocking down cans and hitting bulls-eyes), spend your winnings in the tennis shop (contract partners, buy stylish outfits), and unlock hidden players. In VIRTUA TENNIS for the Dreamcast, the ball is always in play.

NBA 2K1
Description

He shoots, he scores, he's from a town you've never heard of...now you can shoot hoops with players from all over the country online. NBA 2K1 had some lofty hightops to fill following the stellar success of NBA 2K, and you won't be disappointed. Playing online allows up to 8 gamers at once, so you might learn a few new tricks and it will most definitely improve your game. There's updated graphics, advanced AI, stellar animations and new commentary. The players are as animated as ever, with even greater detail in their facial expressions. More motion-captured moves bring enhanced realism and smooth gameplay on Sega Dreamcast. If you'd rather be on the managing end of the players, take over as GM trading and drafting players to create your dream team.

Pedals Picture: On Order!

2007-03-14T07:23:00.000-07:00

from www.carbeyondstore.com where I ordered the pedals from

Nopi Class Descriptions (GA 2006)

2007-03-14T07:17:00.000-07:00

***The following are brief descriptions of our show classes***

Street Allows minor bolt on upgrades but no full body kits or radical wings

Custom Allows any bolt on accessories and upgrades, any bolt on body mods and shaved bodywork

Wild All Show - Chopped, suicide doors, tilt fronts, and anything goes.

JDM Style "Japanese Domestic Market", Cars styled after Japanese versions - Engine Swapped Cars

Hybrid Engine swapped Cars with other than OEM engines

Classic Older models not in specific classes

NOPI CHIC Optional Womans class

Small Useless Update

2007-03-14T07:06:00.000-07:00

Things are arriving for the car at last! Arrived yesterday is the pink vinyl. Upon discussion with Josh, we've decided to postpone the install until the fall is completed in the back. Currently, we're finishing the controller install, which in reality is the switch box. I have pictures, and will update as soon as I transfer the photos from my camera.

The convertable top needs replacing, and I'm about to order a new top. I'm selling my old top on eBay to help cut down costs. After I do that, and the switchout is complete, I'll do the same thing with my headlights.

I've ordered the new carbon fiber pedals for the car, along with footrest. Shortly there-after will come the steering wheel. However, my A/C needs fixing in the meantime. I need a new compressor clutch. Fun times!!!

We're also starting to look at shows and classes. I'm sticking in the Street class, for Sport Compact. Yes, Eclipse is considered a sport compact. I'll post the classes. :)

Shifter Knob Phase: COMPLETE!

2007-03-12T11:28:00.000-07:00

It's done! it had to be cut down, but it's down and fabulous!

This is how it started:

This is how it ended:

Carbon Fiber Controller Received!

2007-03-07T06:34:00.000-08:00

Isn't it BEAUTIFUL? Yeah, not many of these in the world.

Mystery Box Received!!

2007-03-07T06:22:00.000-08:00

The mystery auction turned out fruitful! I must say, it was like getting a birthday gift when it's not your birthday! The items included two games and a generic rumble pack. As I may not play the games, I'm sure someone in my life will enjoy them as they are sport oriented games. Here's a picture of everything that was in the box:

The rumble pack is adorable, though! Take a look at the brand name:

Aluminum Door Sill Disappointment

2007-03-07T06:06:00.000-08:00

Plans aren't always perfect. You can't control everything, but so far we've been fortunate enough to only have rather inexpensive problems. Thinking this would be fantastic, we ordered aluminum door sills which were to have the word DREAMCAST etched into the sill. In fact, the original auction went like this:

"Product Information:
Ultimate Dash specializes in automotive aftermarket kits and accessories. All of our products are approved by the Automotive Industry. The Universal Door Sills are manufactured using a thin layer of BRUSHED ALUMINUM. Your car logo is engraved on the Sill & then we cover it with a polyurethane clear coat to protect the sill from scratching and wear.

You are bidding on (2) Door Sills.
The perfect solution for when there is no option for tailored door sills available for your car.These universal door sills are suitable for any vehicle with a flat sill area. They are produced using Brushed Aluminum to add a unique look to your car.

Fixed in place easily by using super strong adhesive, so no drilling or screwing is required.

Features:
Custom fit Door Sills are molded specifically for your vehicle.
Made of thin Brushed Aluminum
Measure 1.5" inches by 19" inches.
Easy No Drill Installation using automotive adhesive
Sold as complete sets to match your vehicle needs. "
(Obtained from Ultimate Dash)

The box arrived, and we were very excited! The box was wonderful, and taped securely, and arrived quickly! Upon opening it, a gasp was heard.

"It's.... It's.... It's a sticker!"

Being optimistic, we put them in the garage and decided we'd figure out where to put them. Then, tradgedy struck: humidity.

Yesterday, we walked into the garage, which was terribly humid. Apparently the water heater had flooded. So, the excess water rendered the garage very humid. The sills were damaged and completely bendable like so:

Okay, REAL aluminum looks like this (ignore the permanent black marking line):

The "Aluminum" sills looked like this:

The next concern is if a little humidity did this, what would rain do?

Tesla Car Alarm

2007-03-05T13:21:00.000-08:00

Photo from http://geekologie.com/2007/02/tesla_coil_prevents_car_thieve.php

We want to do this as an anti-theft device. Isn't it cool?

Too bad it's only slightly legal for our purposes!

BTW, that's a Tesla coil mounted on top of the SUV; in case you're wondering how they did it.

Useless Update (Forgot Something!)

2007-03-05T10:37:00.000-08:00

I forgot! I ordered a new DreamCast in a gaming system lot! Take a look at what I purchased (mostly for the DreamCast- everything else will be sold):

If you are interested in buying any system you see, other than the DreamCast, let me know by noting here!

Another Useless Update

2007-03-05T10:26:00.000-08:00

We're still waiting on things to arrive that are in transit. Needless to say, the weekend was taken off. It was my birthday, so dinner and a movie prevailed!!

I just received notice that the DreamCast Mystery Box has been mailed. I have no idea what's in it, but I'll certainly post as soon as I find out.

"This auction is very straight forward and there are no hidden secrets or codes that need to be cracked. Freeman Photographic has recieved a massive shippment Sega Dreamcast Games, Accessories, Mixed Items, Ect.!!!! Really Too many to list individually! This is the only hint that I can give you!!! All items are either gently used or are brand / like new condition, regardless all items are in very nice shape!!!! All sorts of stuff for the Sega Dreamcast, give it as a gift, keep it for your self, or resell the items for profit and fun. This is a 100% Authentic MYSTERY Auction here. You have no idea what you are bidding on, except its for the Sega Dreamcast! Now if that aint' fun I don't know what is. But due to Ebay rules I have to sell "something" so here it is..... a box.... and if the bids get high enough... it will be an even bigger box. It all depends upon how much you bid( Please note the picture is for illustration purposes)." -eBay Auction

I did receive the carbon fiber look controller from Japan. Now it is GORGEOUS! I don't have a picture yet, but will have one by tomorrow!

The sills were also received. We weren't particularly excited about them as they weren't real aluminum and the text was printed on the graphic. No etching, nothing like that. I'll post a picture as soon as it's taken. We're not sure if it's going in the car or not at this point, we may wind up cutting it up and putting somewhere. I have no idea. Maybe we'll stick it in the trunk.

The DreamCast Install Phase is pending. Yay for mail delays! However, the pink interior vinyl should arrive sometime this week. That means that we're going to be tremendously busy when it arrives as we have to get the DreamCast install completed prior to vinyling the interior.

Busy much? Well, not at the moment, but we will be!

Small Useless Update

2007-02-28T13:39:00.000-08:00

We're waiting on things being mailed.

oi...

Turbo Valve Cover Picture

2007-02-23T08:48:00.000-08:00

The following photo is by the artist who did the valve cover: Chad

I love it! A candy raspberry valve cover!

Chad is willing to customize other parts for my engine in the same colour. Decent prices, too!

The On Order Update

2007-02-23T08:27:00.000-08:00

I have a few things on order. Including the interior vinyl in fuschia, the turbo valve cover which also is fuschia, and a mystery box!!! The mystery box came back!!!! I also have on order is a limited edition carbon fiber controller for the DreamCast. Also, there are aluminum door sills with the DreamCast logo on their way- I should have them by Monday (at least I hope).

I ordered 3 more VMUs which I'll personally customize for my passengers. Yes, everyone gets their own customized VMUs. It just can't leave my car. Mine is the pink one from the UK. Order from the UK. Their product is higher quality than anything found here and believe it or not, I receieved my VMU in four working days. FOUR WORKING DAYS. ...even I am impressed

The plans this weekend is to get the DreamCast install phase completed, which will then leave the fuschia vinyl for the following weekend and maybe carpet replacement. I'm not sure the order we're wanting to go in since the fall is the next big piece to create.

Realistically, I foresee the DreamCast install this weekend. Fuschia vinyl the following if the order arrives on time, otherwise the Airbag Imaging phase will start. I may start the lights for the rims. Not sure, but there are many projects to eat up time.

So... that being said, here's to another full weekend! Cheers!

2007-02-19T06:40:00.000-08:00

This is the new mirror hang! I found this at a pharmacy and thought it perfect to dangle from my mirror. It's perfect! And shiny! And, well, perfect!

Screen Install Phase: COMPLETED!!!

2007-02-19T06:22:00.000-08:00

What happens when you start a project at 8:00pm and end at 5:30am? A lot of laughter, arguing, frustration, moody wimpers, and hugs. That's what happens. That being said, the later it is, the harder it is to avoid the camera.

At any rate, the screen install phase is completed. There are minute things left to do, but all in all, it's finally done. See the pictures below:

This is how far we had to extend the wires in the portable DVD player. Thank you Josh for your brilliance and technical know-how. You are a god amongst electronics.

This is how the bezel looks in all the glory that is. That's an 8" LCD. Yes, that white little line is gone now, trust me.

This is what happens when you're too tired at 5:30 and need to turn on the car. Not the most flattering picture, but hey, it was too late (or early), to be turning on the car.

Success!!!