"ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability" (italianjobr53)
09/09/2020 at 20:45 • Filed to: Mini
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"ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability" (italianjobr53)
09/09/2020 at 20:45 • Filed to: Mini | 13
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Update: Fitted them to the Mini
She looks so much better now! Also, the lights actually illuminate the road now instead of acting like DRL. I'll get some better pictures tomorrow...
Got some new headlight housings for the Mini!
The old housings are quite tired...they have an outer plastic lens (which I can clean) and an inner one which requires me to open em up with a heat gun and then hope that the headlight cleaning kit does their magic on em. Instead I got some new ones from fleabay which are supposed to be decent. If the new ones aren’t good, then neither were the old ones and at least the car will look good :)
Now I’m gonna remove the chrome ring surrounds on the new ones and paint them flat black coz chrome is baaaad.
Edit:
And now we wait....
Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
> ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
09/08/2020 at 18:27 |
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Chrome delete is good and the nice shiny new headlights are very good! Hit em with some UV protectant if you’ve got it as it won’t be as strong as the OEM stuff.
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ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
> Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
09/08/2020 at 18:34 |
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I don't have UV protectant.... Don't know about it tbh. But I can just park the Mini in the garage till I get some! I'll daily the Vette for a bit I guess....
MiniGTI - now with XJ6
> ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
09/08/2020 at 18:36 |
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That’ll make it look like a new car
Also do check the aiming is at least roughly close.
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ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
> MiniGTI - now with XJ6
09/08/2020 at 18:46 |
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Yup, gonna check the aiming! Theres a cul de sac with no houses on it and a fence about 50 ft away, thats where I went to aim my fog lights.
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Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
> ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
09/08/2020 at 18:47 |
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A week in the sun won’t hurt it but I wouldn’t be surprised if a year created a noticeable slight yellowing of the inner lens. There are tons of kinds available and if you bought a headlight restoration kit it probably was a wax on type came with it. Just prolonging the life of them is all. OEMs are much better about that sort of thing than aftermarket stuff.
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ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
> Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
09/08/2020 at 18:48 |
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Gotcha! The new lamps dont have an inner lens btw, kinda the reason I bought them.
RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
> ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
09/08/2020 at 19:18 |
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Loo
king really
nice! I need to replace the passenger side right on the Acc
ent....I replaced the driver’s side one the other year and it still looks great, but the passenger one is getting really cloudy along the top :(
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ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
> RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
09/08/2020 at 19:45 |
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I usually replace such stuff in pairs, wheel bearings, headlight lamps, brake discs, etc...when one is gone, the other is surely on its way out...
onlytwowheels
> Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
09/08/2020 at 20:55 |
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Biggest issue any of my headlights have had with becoming cloudy has been caused by touch free car wash soap s. The chemicals that are used cloud my headlights and dull my hood protector eve ry winter. I polish them out in the spring, but this spring the left headlight still has a slight haziness, although not nearly enough to make me want to replace it.
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MiniGTI - now with XJ6
> ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
09/08/2020 at 21:49 |
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Perfect. The headlights were way out of wack on my SAAB when I got it. Pretty sure one of the bulbs wasn’t even seated right. Also you can take the glass (!!) lenses off to clean the reflectors, where I discovered some of the silver foil is burned off so the beams aren’t as well defined as they should be.
I don’t have a good place to check them scientifically so it took a couple times rough guessing to get them to look right, but I’m pretty happy with how they look now. I put the hot spot of the right high beam a little off the road too to have some chance of seeing wayward animals
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> onlytwowheels
09/08/2020 at 21:50 |
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Chemicals will sometimes have unforeseen side effects on parts. I’ve usually only noticed sun damage to plastic headlight housings but maybe I haven’t been looking for it. Where my headlights became selectively cloudy it was clearly because of the angle where they were exposed to the sun. It wasn’t even like you would get with a bad chemical reaction.
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RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
> ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
09/08/2020 at 21:53 |
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I only did the other one at the time as it was cracked and water was getting into it.
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ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
> RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
09/08/2020 at 21:55 |
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Aah that sucks...my Mini has body rust on it coz one of the taillight housing seals failed and water seeped into there :(
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onlytwowheels
> Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
09/08/2020 at 22:10 |
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My truck stays outside all year. I wash my truck at home during the warmer weather months, but in the winter the car wash is a must. Once a week is usually a good way to keep the salt from doing too much damage. By the third wash, the headlights have an obvious haze, which worsens each subsequent wash. By spring, the headlights are so di minished that driving in the dark has become difficult. Clouding does not happen during the warm weather months because the car wash soap isn’t harsh.
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> onlytwowheels
09/08/2020 at 22:33 |
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That is not a problem I have ever really had. Since salt isn’t an issue there is no advantage to an automated car wash vs a home wash plus the weather is usually tolerable for at least one or two weekends during the cold months. Most people do a once a year wash in the summer (ick) if that as it’s just appearances and not rust prevention that you gain.
I really wonder about that soap. I’ve never seen that even when my parents always used automated car washes.
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onlytwowheels
> Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
09/08/2020 at 22:50 |
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If I use a different was, that isn’t touch free, I do not have clouding either. Only the harsh solution from the touch free. The touch free is closest to home, about 11.5 miles from the house the other one is 4 miles further. I don’t like driving any further than I need to wash the truck, especially if the roads are going be salt covered or slushy. Defeats the purpose of leaving home to clean it.
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Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
> onlytwowheels
09/08/2020 at 22:59 |
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Makes sense. It’s a tough situation as there will always be a little salt left on the frame. Someone needs to invent a pressure washer attachment for that.
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onlytwowheels
> Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
09/08/2020 at 23:05 |
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It would be nice if they came up with an alternative that was less corrosive, and not cost a fortune. My motorcycle(s) stay off the road in the spring until there have been 2 or 3 substantial rains to rinse the raining salt residue off the pavement.
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> onlytwowheels
09/08/2020 at 23:07 |
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When you think of all the money lost from rust damage you’d think heating some major roads and using a slightly more expensive less corrosive material would make sense but that’s not how the government works.
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onlytwowheels
> Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
09/08/2020 at 23:15 |
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Heating roadways is incredibly expensive and would raise taxes too high. The rust repair on the other hand is the burden of the vehicle owner. Annual safety inspections, also the burden of the vehicle owner, will be failed for any body rot, frame rot or excessively corroded brake lines.
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Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
> onlytwowheels
09/09/2020 at 00:25 |
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They’re creating quality jobs, duh. And I don’t know anything about that topic but I’ll take your word for it. Is there a proven middle ground between rust central and tax central?
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onlytwowheels
> Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
09/09/2020 at 00:37 |
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Car wash is middle ground. Thirteen bucks a week.
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RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
> ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
09/09/2020 at 20:49 |
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I really want to put some long-range street-legal driving lights on the Accent one of these days....you can get some bumper mounts that mount to where the license plate bolts to, but not sure how strong that would be :/
All the better to see the suicidal Nova Scotian deer at night!
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ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
> RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
09/09/2020 at 20:50 |
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Do they have to be street legal? Can you not get the Hellas that I have right now? Drill holes in the crash support and mount brackets to it, that should be sturdy enough...that what I've done.
Wacko
> ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
09/09/2020 at 20:52 |
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You gonna do the chrome around the grill too?
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ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
> Wacko
09/09/2020 at 20:54 |
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One of these days...the finiky bit is that the lower portion is stuck onto the bumper using just glue so its kinda tough to stick it back iirc
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Wacko
> ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
09/09/2020 at 20:54 |
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Do you actually have to have reserved parking signs in your own yard?
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ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
> Wacko
09/09/2020 at 20:54 |
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I dont have a yard, im leasing an apartment :)
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RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
> ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
09/09/2020 at 21:25 |
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Well, driving auxiliary beams are street legal - I just want something to augment my headlights on high-beam to help in the dark! Even with new bulbs, the Accent doesn’t have super amazing headlights...
Something like this would work well...fairly small and light but a decent light output and the Driving Beam models are SAE and ECE compliant!
https://www.kchilites.com/gravity-led-g34-pair-pack-light-system.html
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ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
> RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
09/09/2020 at 21:46 |
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Those are quite expensive tho...
Just Jeepin'
> ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
09/10/2020 at 08:47 |
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You should grab this one so you can come play on rougher roads.
https://indianapolis.craigslist.org/cto/d/carmel-96-geo-tracker-chevy/7191636912.html
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ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
> Just Jeepin'
09/10/2020 at 09:20 |
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I mean I guess I should....but $3500 will get me a nice set of pre-built heads and a cam for the Corvette....
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Just Jeepin'
> ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
09/10/2020 at 09:21 |
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You’re hopeless.
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ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
> Just Jeepin'
09/10/2020 at 09:29 |
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I’ll take that as a compliment :)
If you and me are still here in about 2 years, I plan to get a towing rig for the Vette. Which will go off-road so thats when I’ll be able to join you (I'm thinking early gmt 800 or sequoia)
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ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
> Just Jeepin'
09/10/2020 at 09:45 |
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Ooor you should buy this:
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/380590593331701/
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Just Jeepin'
> ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
09/10/2020 at 09:48 |
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Nice price, even with those miles.
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ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
> Just Jeepin'
09/10/2020 at 09:54 |
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Ya and the top end of the motor looks clean and if he's done suspension work on tbe front then it is a good deal.
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RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
> ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
09/10/2020 at 15:48 |
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Yeah, I could probably find something cheaper, I imagine, but I don’t want a cheap Chinese set of lights that aren’t much better than my headlights-alone were, or that will rust away in 5 minutes. :(
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ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
> RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
09/10/2020 at 15:58 |
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LED fog lamps may be the answer...have you looked at those?
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RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
> ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
09/11/2020 at 14:15 |
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You mean LED fog bulbs? I have OEM-style foglights that I installed
myself, but they are reflectors so their beam pattern wouldn’t go anywhere near as far as a d
ecent set of driving lights, even with brighter bulbs, if
that’s what you mean?
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ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
> RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
09/11/2020 at 14:18 |
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Yep, I meant LED fog lights
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RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
> ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
09/11/2020 at 14:26 |
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Still just looking to clarify...do you mean LED BULBS in factory housings or actual aftermarket LED-designed-from-the-g
round-up foglights from PIAA or KCHiLites or Hella or such? :P
I think LED Bulbs are illegal here other than in tail or turn-signal form....they can’t be installed in reflector housings here
, at least :(
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ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
> RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
09/11/2020 at 14:29 |
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Ooh I meant actual aftermarket LED -designed-from-the-ground-up foglights. Like these ones:
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RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
> ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
09/11/2020 at 16:13 |
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OK, cool, that’s what I thought you meant! :)
Well, you can LED fogs in that style, but fogs are designed for short-range, but wide and low light spread, for seeing ‘under’ the fog to light the way ahead.
I’m looking for long-distance, street legal lights that could reach out beyond my headlights....they exist and are called driving lights. A nice description of each is here:
Driving lights are sortof a long, narrow beam to light the road far ahead in the ‘it can’t hurt you if you see it first’ type mindset.
The ones I linked above on KCHiLite’s site are street legal LED Driving Beams. Hella has some street-legal Driving beams as well, but I think most are Halogen...I’ll have to see if they have any LED! :)
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ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability
> RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
09/12/2020 at 10:51 |
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TIL... Thanks!