Brilliant's Mod Thread

[Hepar]

Nothing major, I just hit the hitch with some rust cap, and the back bumper trim with some black bumper paint.

The back trim comes off with simply pulling up (hard). Wiped it down with acetone and then did 4 light coats of duplicolor black bumper paint.

Before


After

Looks great. It's nice to get rid of the fading. Nothing makes a car look older.

 

[Brilliant]

Objective: Rear end refresh. Replace frosted tails from 99 to updated clear 02 tail lights. Remove and repaint the rear trim. Color match the hatch.

Process:

• Pick up 01-02 TYC tail lights
• For 99, brake and signal sockets plug into later model light
• For 99, swap the reverse bulb socket from the new housing
  
• Remove trim by pulling up
• Wipe down with alcohol
• Paint with black trim paint
  
• Obtain color match paint from automotive touchup
• Mask hatch off with a good tape and plastic
• Wet sand with 400 grit
• Use alcohol and remove any sanding dust
• Apply color in 4 light coats
• Apply 2 coats clear

New tails, I added silver bulbs later to get rid of the egg yolk look

Trim Painted

Hatch painted

Looks great. It's nice to get rid of the fading. Nothing makes a car look older.

Thanks man...always impressive what freshening up the black trim can do.

 

[A.Wilson013]

What's your plan with the old tails? I have a buddy locally looking for a set.

 

[Brilliant]

Fiamm Horns

Purpose: Replace wimpy horns with something louder, FIAMM el grande horns


How to: , pretty simple, cut out the old horns, find the hot lead (horn depressed) and ground, make a Y harness and mount them

What's your plan with the old tails? I have a buddy locally looking for a set.

You can have them.

 

[fightman80]

Lookin good :girl:....just a question though...Why such small pics?

 

[A.Wilson013]

You can have them.

Thanks man, I will have him shoot you a pm.

 

[GottaBeTRD]

I got in the Aeroforce Interceptor scan gauge today. Really nothing to the install, plug into OBD connector & run the wire. I ordered the one with a toyota decal, but it looks like I could have ordered just a plain face. I didnt want the aeroforce logo on it. I'll play around with it and see how I like it. Right now I am just using AT and MPG.

damn you! i was just about to buy the scangauge II and then i saw this, got excited until saw the price... is that the ISOi version that does it all? this thing looks legit!

 

[Brilliant]

damn you! i was just about to buy the scangauge II and then i saw this, got excited until saw the price... is that the ISOi version that does it all? this thing looks legit!

yeah ISOi version. There is an application chart on the website to see what parameters you get and what version you need for what year. The price does suck, about double a scangauge II.

 

[GottaBeTRD]

it looks so good, way better than the scanguage and ultra gauge. I think im gonna order one. how do you like it so far? are the MPG's pretty accurate? and can you reset trouble codes with this bad boy?

 

[Brilliant]

it looks so good, way better than the scanguage and ultra gauge. I think im gonna order one. how do you like it so far? are the MPG's pretty accurate? and can you reset trouble codes with this bad boy?

I haven't messed with it much yet honesty.

I read on the site you can read and reset codes, but not something I have tried to do as I am not throwing any codes. The MPGs seem reasonable, but I've mostly been running around town and it jumps around a lot.

The company is pretty responsive so if you are in a hurry shoot them an email and they should get back to you.

Once I get my dash figured out, I'll play with it more.

 

[CodyX36]

Hey man just wanted to thank you again for the taillights, I sure do like the newer ones better like you currently have! Clean rig by the way!

 

[Brilliant]

Purpose: Get rid of bubble on dash cluster

Process:
Obtain used cluster of same year
Remove cluster from car
Remove plastic cover from cluster
Using a fork, pull straight and remove gauge needles
Do the same on the donor cluster
Swap in new face

Remove needles with a fork

Needle removed

Repaired

Hey man just wanted to thank you again for the taillights, I sure do like the newer ones better like you currently have! Clean rig by the way!

Happy to do it. I hate to toss good parts and didnt want to do the c-list haggle.

 

[JWaldz]

someone needs to look into getting photobucket

Nice truck, it's coming along great...

 

[GottaBeTRD]

I haven't messed with it much yet honesty.

I read on the site you can read and reset codes, but not something I have tried to do as I am not throwing any codes. The MPGs seem reasonable, but I've mostly been running around town and it jumps around a lot.

The company is pretty responsive so if you are in a hurry shoot them an email and they should get back to you.

Once I get my dash figured out, I'll play with it more.

sweet! i'm just waiting for that last push to get me to bight the bullet and get this thing. I've been watching endless YouTube videos on it. haha i know i want it!

Now when you say you have to order it specifically for your car its just the Toyota one right? and does a Toyota logo pop up when you start your engine?

 

[PitbullRescuer]

Damn you Brilliant, you're giving me too many ideas for mine. LOL. Looks great, good work.

 

[GottaBeTRD]

thanks man im this close to ordering it!

 

[BigFishAllDay]

That bubble really was bugging you wasn't it? Did you buy the new cluster just for that guage face?

I have the same issue, but my bubble is about 1/16 the size of yours. Just a little guy that seems to inflate and deflate depending on ambient temps. When it's cold it's almost flat, when it gets hot, it bubbles up. Did you notice the same thing with yours?

I'm going to leave mine alone until it gets worse (hopefully it doesn't). Yours looked like it was almost big enough to interfere w/the tach needle.

RE the cluster lights... I will simply never be cool w/red. When I see that, it screams PONTIAC GRAND AM!! Toyotas and green dash lighting just go hand in hand for me.

 

[BrianSD_42]

BigFishAllDay

It's got a lot of functionality to it. I would definitely have considered that in place of my SG2 if I'd have known it existed.

The AeroForce gauge looks pretty good but is bit more cash than a SCII.

Brilliant, did you pay the full $250 for it and do you think it was worth it after owning it for a few weeks?

Thanks

 

[BigFishAllDay]

Did you buy the new cluster just for that guage face?

I bought a whole used cluster from ebay..........

Where is your bubble? - I can send you the face if its not the tach. I have both a 96-98 and 99 cluster (same as 01?).

Oh no, I got that you bought the whole cluster, I was asking if you bought the cluster JUST to get your hands on a new guage face? What was your winning bid on the cluster?

My bubble is, luckily enough, on the tach. It's located right where the upper LH corner of your bubble was located. Thanks for the generous offer though.

 

[Brilliant]

BigFishAllDay

The AeroForce gauge looks pretty good but is bit more cash than a SCII.

Brilliant, did you pay the full $250 for it and do you think it was worth it after owning it for a few weeks?

Thanks

It was an impulse buy and I still havent messed with it much.

Would I do it again, probably. I wanted the MPG computer and I just couldnt bring myself to put in a scangauge. It was an appearance thing more than anything.

I'll make an attempt this week to figure it out and post.