Paint availability/digital clock/fuse/ queries ('96 Corolla)

[cascade]

I have only had the car a couple of weeks, and simply could NOT abide this horrendous abomination of aftermarket tail lights; WHY do people do things like this?



("No accounting for taste" ~~ Dorothy Parker)


So, I went to a junkyard yesterday and picked up a stock tail light set and a digital clock out of a dark green junked 1993 model.

Tail lights went in fine, and work great, and look good as now they are stock again, but the valances (That should slide in right underneath the tail lights) are the wrong color (dark green).

Where can I get a proper rattle can 5-6 oz spray can of Cashmere Beige paint for them? Any quick paint prep tips (sanding or taking down to the bare metal?)

Body shop or dealer ONLY a last resort for me. (On a tight budget this month)


2. The car is the base model, with only an insert where the clock would go. The junkyard donor car yielded a nifty little digital dash clock that when, my insert was knocked out, fit right in there, looks good and lights right up, and ONLY shows all 8's though.


I couldn't find in the owners manual how to set it up so it works. Anyone?


3. The AC blower works and so do the controls, but the AC doesn't blow ice cold. Only cool when it is cool outside. Before I consider looking to see, at an AC shop (car runs R134A per a sticker on radiator brace) was thinking of trying a new 15A fuse.

Owners manual says it is the #11 on the right kick panel; how can it gently be taken off to inspect/replacer?


Thanks, all.


I am starting to like this car. It cleaned up real nice.

[gold94corolla]

1) My car used to be that color, but I never found a spray can to match it (I had to paint my tail lights just like you).... so they didn't match

2) So you got the clock installed, and you put the wire connector in there and it doesn't work? Weird.

3) A new fuse isn't going to change anything. Either it works or not. You are probably low on refrigerant.... you either have a leak or you just need to repressurize it.

[PhatRoyale]

I would offload those abominations of an excuse for taillights to a youngin' fast and furious type ASAP.

Color-matched spray paint can be ordered online, just do a google search for them.

If there is a shop nearby you that specializes in autobody supply, then they should be able to match it closely.

[gold94corolla]

Look at the door jam for the color paint code.... and then look online to find a place that sells it. I just didn't find it in the store.....

Those tail lights don't look that bad LOL.... I had them at first

[cascade]

I found a junkyard set of good tail lights, off a wrecked dark green '93 on the weekend and for $65 I bought them, (and a couple of other bits too,) and now they are in and they work fine, as seen tonight with turn signal on!!




But the valances below them were dark green, from the wrecked donor car, so I took them off, and tonight I spray painted them, after sanding them down with brillo pads, in Cashmere Beige, (color of the car,) with some rattle can spray paint special ordered from the auto parts store in Auburn CA.

They are drying now, in the garage underneath the Mercedes..




I bought fuses and refrigerant (2 cans of R134a,) and some PAG 100 (8 oz can ) to lubricate the system before I add the freon in, the blower is fine.

Left to right: Paint, R134a, PAG 100, Spark plugs and brake pads, brake rotors.



The clock is installed but the wiring in there is the past tense of virgin, a teenager that put the Kenwood in there you can thank for that.



I went through California smog test HELL to get it registered. Exhaust leak at manifold, Illegal for California Cat, on there, system leaking also, ahead of the cat, EGR totally bad, what is train wreck.


Over $1,000 spent to make it smog legal and to pass emissions!!


But today I got it registered, with tags to January 2011 for ANOTHER $93 and I am good to go!!! Car is fully safety checked and serviced and I detailed it out!

Title should arrive in 2-3 weeks, says the DMV!!

Woo Hoo!!!

Wednesday agenda: Look at brakes again, judders when applied (pads/rotors?) and get the Air Con working....the blower is fine already but no ice cold air.


It's coming along!!!



I have put about 400 miles on the car so far, and the manual transmission is *NOT* so intuitive.


Then again, I haven't driven a manual transmission car regularly since about 1967 or so. This may take me some time to relearn.

[cascade]

Now on the car this morning. Obtaining the key code from the dealer got a nice master key that allowed the trunk to open. Next: Aircond refresh and front brakes.

The saga continues, and is almost finished.

[trife96]

looks better, I agree about those other tail lights you had. Those do really look like crap IMO. You should try to find the center garnish thats colored like the lights all the way across. Much nicer than the gray color.

[gameguru1360]

actually I have tail lights similar to those except they're the black carbon fiber background. Those with the silver background look too ricer. I've also been looking into the projector headlights, but also only the ones with the black carbon fiber background. My middle tail piece is the one with the red plastic acrylic fake light

[gold94corolla]

^^^^ now that looks bad imo


Glad to hear you are getting it fixed and that it is coming along!! My tail light filler things matched about that good when I was done, that's the same paint I used, it is a little too dark.

[cascade]

Originally Posted by gold94corolla

Those tail lights don't look that bad LOL.... I had them at first

Anybody who wants those tail lights, which are undamaged, and work, and removed from the car on Sunday, can have them.


Price for the pair, is a a crisp ten dollar bill and whatever it costs to pack and ship them. That is almost free.


They are simply not my style. Maybe if nobody sees this here I will post again on parts for sale, here, and then, CL, but with a little higher price.


Or trade them for 14" Gen. 7 hubcaps. LOL

[dJcHiKo]

Originally Posted by cascade

Anybody who wants those tail lights, which are undamaged, and work, and removed from the car on Sunday, can have them.


Price for the pair, is a a crisp ten dollar bill and whatever it costs to pack and ship them. That is almost free.

ill take them, msg'd you! check your inbox!

[trife96]

yea dude, gotta get the matching center garnish for the stock lights, or matching tail lights for that center garnish

[cascade]

Originally Posted by dJ204

ill take them, msg'd you! check your inbox!

This morning they were packed and mailed to you in Canada va UPS, guaranteed delivery by Novermber 12th.

I was told that you should be ready to look out for a sort of ransom demand by Canadian customs before they get released to you. I put "value" at $50 USD, but you can tell them you paid $10 USD for them, and I will back you up on that cause it is the truth.

It cost $32 to pack and ship, so after you get them, it's $42 USD, converted to Canadian dollars by www.xe.com <whatever the exhange rate is, is your cost.


I will pm my address to you when I have a moment.

Thanks for your interest, btw. They were WAY too nice to throw out, and simply not to my personal taste

[dJcHiKo]

Originally Posted by cascade

This morning they were packed and mailed to you in Canada va UPS, guaranteed delivery by Novermber 12th.

I was told that you should be ready to look out for a sort of ransom demand by Canadian customs before they get released to you. I put "value" at $50 USD, but you can tell them you paid $10 USD for them, and I will back you up on that cause it is the truth.

It cost $32 to pack and ship, so after you get them, it's $42 USD, converted to Canadian dollars by www.xe.com <whatever the exhange rate is, is your cost.


I will pm my address to you when I have a moment.

Thanks for your interest, btw. They were WAY too nice to throw out, and simply not to my personal taste

thanks a lot bud, not really my style but we'll see how they look on my car,