___*********** Silver G-Games ***********___

__*** Optimummind's Silver Tibby__***

Although I feel kinda shy about making a post in this section as there are SO MANY nice(er) cars here, I figured I will give it a go. It's Monday after a long day at work and I'm BORED. lol

A bit unconventional, but I will be posting my pictures in a chronological fashion so you guys/gals can see the slow yet steady progression of my Tibby.

*** From September of 2004 to February of 2008: Stock except for Tuscani emblems ***

During this time period, my car was totally STOCK (except for the Tuscani hood and trunk emblems). I loved the way the stock Tiburon looked and it never crossed my mind to mod my car. And when I saw modded Civics, Integras, WRX's, etc on the road, I thought they were LAMERS and RICERS and vowed that I would never waste my TIME and MONEY doing such things. LOL :3_chubby: I didn't know anything about cars and how to maintain them or service them. In other words, a COMPLETE NOOB. :3_pimatyo

If my car was reliable and fun enough to drive with its 5-speed manual, I was a happy camper. My major hobby was computers back then--building custom PCs, overclocking the CPU, GPU, RAM, FSB, etc. For the sake of getting high framerates in the latest PC games and high scores in the 3DMark series of benchmarks, I installed two watercooling systems on my PC--one loop for the CPU and another just for the GPU. I was spending like ~$2,000 a year into PC upgrades and new technology toys. I also enjoyed hacking and tweaking into software to make it run the way I wanted it to and I created some Warcraft 3 maps that I would host on the Battlenet servers to have large versus matches. Being admin, I also cheated at times by having the ability to summon a custom special character that I could summon onto my map by just typing a phrase and killing anything/anyone with one shot from my hyper-red lighting bolt. LOL

It makes complete sense, then, why my car would've looked like this during this period of my Tibby ownership. Looking back at it now, it kind of looks like a chick's car. LOL




*** 2008-02-08. My first mod!! Black Altezza Tails ***

This was the first mod that got me HOOKED on car modding. It was also my Valentine's Gift from my girlfriend. Cost was $88.00 flat to pick it up from a local e-Bay'er in Rowland Heights. Installation was nerve-wrecking for me because the DIY here on NT told me to hit my taillights with the palm of my car to loosen it. After whacking it softly a few times, I got frustrated and put some force into it and...VOILA...the taillights came loose. LOL One thing that's definitely different about working on cars from modding computers is that it's OKAY to use some brute force. LOL



*** 2008-02-11. Clear Corners ***

After joining this site in September of 2004, I finally began to visit NT in an earnest and regular fashion. I discovered the clear corners DIY and used it with much nervousness about sticking my headlights inside the oven. :3_wink: I still remember how I shook my head left and right after seeing my HEADLIGHT inside the oven.



*** 2008-02-12. New Sony radio with satellite radio and mp3 ***

Finally frustrated at not having the ability to play more than 21-23 songs in my stock CD player, I picked up a cheap Sony radio at a local Circuit City (In hindsight, I should've bought something nicer but oh well. I'm happy with it). I purposefully chose a single-DIN unit because I wanted to save the empty slot for sticking in my GPS unit. It's illegal here in California to mount a GPS on your front windshield and I didn't want to mount it on my dashboard because of the gunk residue.


***2008-02-13. Arkspeedracing short antenna. ***

My first purchase from Ark and a very simple mod to install. I applied some blue thread locker to make it harder on the potential antenna thieves.

*** 2008-02-18. TWM 5-speed short-throw shifter. ***

After hearing so many positive comments here at NT about how installing a STS will double the driving enjoyment and make your car feel different, I caved in and bought one (the MNW mission plate, e-brake cover, steering wheel emblem, and ignition bezel actually arrived the next day on the 19th.) Install was smooth except for the part where I had to take off that little circular clip. Wow, that thing was so stubborn. Like everyone had said all along, the difference in the shifting feel was AMAZING!! I loved it!!


*** 2008-02-21. Aluminum floor pedals. ***

Simple clip-on job. It was so simple, I felt kind of...empty afterwards...LOL


*** 2008-02-25. Fujita F5 Cold Air Intake.

After reading numerous SRI vs CAI and hydrolock threads here, I decided to go for the Fujita CAI. This was also my first time seeing Ted from Arkspeedracing in person back when he had this office/warehouse in Ontario. When I arrived in the afternoon to pick up my CAI, he was having lunch with his workers and he offered me some spicy pork, some spicy soup, kimchi, and some other Korean food!! :3_chubby: Sorry Ted for interrupting your food but I HAD to drive back ASAP to avoid the traffic!! LOL

I was at first very annoyed by the humming sound but discovered a way to quiet it down a bit--I moved the air filter further up the piping and used a socket to tighten down the air filter clamp instead of a screwdriver. It made enough of a difference for me to not get annoyed anymore.


*** 2008-03-12. Silver vent rings. ***

I got so frustrated trying to take off the OEM vent rings after taking off the center console and trying to fit my hand in there with a screwdriver, I just gave up and used a soldering iron to melt the vent rings off. :3_winkthu It was very satisfying "killing" my old vent rings after so much frustration. The vent rings fit kind of loosely so I applied some RTV silicone adhesive.


*** 2008-03-27. Arkspeedracing front strut bar. ***

Drove over to Ontario to pick it up again from Ted. Taking my friend's advice, I jacked up just the front of the car before I installed the front strut bar to avoid any uneven issues. Franky speaking, I didn't notice any difference in handling and cornering after this mod. To me, the front strut bar was an AESTHETIC mod.


*** 2008-04-23. Arkspeedracing rear strut bar. ***

Another local pick-up. By NOT following Ted's advice to disconnect the battery first, I blew out the fuse for the interior lights and the radio when my ratchet accidentally touched the trunk light bulb. No problem, though, as a replacement fuse got all the lights and the radio to work again. Just like the front strut bar, I didn't feel any difference in handling/cornering after installing this. Once again, this mod has been AESTHETIC-only for me and made my trunk less practical as I can't store as much stuff as I used to be able to.


*** 2008-04-27. Progress rear sway bar. ***

Another item I bought because of fellow NT'ers' unanimous recommendation. Wow, what a BIG difference!! Understeer was reduced greatly. One of my favorite mods. The only part of the transaction I wasn't too happy about was with the shipping. As it turned out, the vendor had the item at his warehouse in the city of Anaheim which is about 10-15 minutes away from my house. No matter how many times I asked him to just let me pick it up myself, he refused and shipped it (taking about 3-4 days to get to me).

To install, I took off both of my rear tires and snaked the sway bar in from the rear passenger's-side. I know some people install it with the tires on but it is MUCH EASIER with the tires off.


*** 2008-05-23. Megan Racing 4-1 Equal-Length header. ***

I picked it up from Chris from Flyryde by meeting up with him at Ark's HQ in Ontario. To prevent the dreaded CEL, I bought a CEL eliminator from Ark and installed it to my secondary cat underneath the car. To this day, no O2-sensor related CEL. Yay!!

Without an exhaust and just the CAI, the volume of my car remained the same to my surprise.

My product review of the Megan Racing 4-1 header:
http://www.newtiburon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=136787

My DIY for the header installation:
http://www.newtiburon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=136790



*** 2008-06-10. OEM '08 V6 rims and tires. ***

Picked them up from a local Craiglist seller for $500. Increased my traction, handling, and ride quality over the OEM 16"s. Seeing my girlfriend's rims on her '07 Tiburon inspired me to buy these instead of other brands. The rims and tires fit perfectly.

Re: ==optimummind's silver Tibby==

*** 2008-06-14. Injen Super SES exhaust. ***

I would've bought the Ark exhaust but Ted was out of stock and not expecting the next shipment until, as it later turned out, 6 months later. No regrets, though!! I love the sound of the exhaust. One thing I noticed immediately after installation was the loud cabin drone inside the car due to the header. I couldn't talk to my passengers at a normal conversational level and my coins began to rattle every time I ran at 70mph and above. And everyone was looking at my car because it was so LOUD. I definitely felt uncomfortable garnering that kind of attention.


*** 2008-06-23. Magnaflow 11216 muffler. ***

Sick and tired of the loud cabin drone due to the header + exhaust combo, I paid a local exhaust shop to cut out the Injen resonator and replace it with a Magnaflow 11216 muffler. No more cabin drone and no more rattling coins. The car is still loud but in the bearable category now. Even cops don't give my car a second look because of the exhaust noise.


*** 2008-06-29. Tuscani wheel caps for 17" OEM rims. ***

Installed mine and the GF's on the same day. Another super-easy mod but time-consuming because I had to take off all four tires first.

*** 2008-10-09. Ark DT-P coilovers. ***

Another local pick-up--this time, at Ted's new office. Lucky for me, Ted had only one left. Understeer is gone and the mountain road driving experience is totally IMPROVED and better in every way. My daily driver setting is 1-click all-around. My mountain road setting is 7-clicks all-around. With my strut bars, rear sway bar, and these coilovers, I found out that I can now keep up with much faster cars. One fellow NT'er at a mountain road meet with I/H/E on his V6 Tiburon thought I had a supercharged V6 because I was trailing his back so closely and constantly pressuring him. lol Even my friend with a Acura RSX-S (210hp) and Honda S2000 (240hp) who goes mountain road driving all the time at Mulholland Highway and who thinks Tiburons are so-so cars was impressed at how closely I was following behind him. Just goes to show that with the right mods and some practice driving, any car can be improved to close the gap with higher stock performance cars.

My product review:
http://www.newtiburon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=147378




*** 2008-12-18. Momo sphere black leather and aluminum shift knob. ***

Gift from the GF for my B-Day. Expensive...but WORTH it for its sexy look, sleek style, and confident grip.


*** 2008-12-31. Painted the rear valence panel matte black. ***

One of my favorite visual mods. I love how it makes the backend look more sleek and wider. It's subtle, too, as most people think the look is from the factory.



*** 2009-01-06. MimoUSA aluminum floor mats. ***

Easy to install and added visual continuity in theme to my interior. The e-bay seller I bought it from threw in a free black and chrome e-brake handle cover. Sweet~ My GF doesn't like the floor mats much, though, because it causes her heels to slip when she gets in and out of the car. LOL


*** 2009-02-10. FL2 gun-metal door handles. ***

Got the initiative to get these after seeing these handles on my GF's car. I was thinking about getting the door latches + door handles combo but I felt too lazy and scared about taking apart my door. I've read too many horror stories about broken/malfunctioning door lock actuators and power window motors/regulators here at NT.


*** 2009-02-20. XRacetech Stainless Steel Temperature Dial Knobs. ***

Once again, would've gone with the Ark ones but they were discontinued. :3_sadley: Simple to install and perfect fitment.

Here is my product review:
http://www.newtiburon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=155604


*** 2009-02-27. Tuscani door sills and 35-W slim digital 5,000-K HID's for low-beams ***

After seeing the Tuscani door sills in many members' cars here on NT, I finally caved in and bought these. Too bad you can only see them when the door is opened.

As for the HID's, I got them because I was sick and tired of all those expensive and "high-performance" light bulbs dying on me too quickly after only about 3-4 months. I figured that with all the money I spent frequently buying those bulbs, I might as well get HID's. And, I love them! So bright and the installation was relatively simple with the right tools.

My product review of the Tuscani door sills:
http://www.newtiburon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=156201

My product review of the 35W slim digital 5,000-K HID's:
http://www.newtiburon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=156200

My DIY for the HID + relay install:
http://www.newtiburon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=156229






*** 2009-03-13. SFR 7,000-K white LED angel eyes. ***

After seeing some members' rides here with the SFR angel eyes, I just HAD to have them on my car as well. Being an electrical noob, I was full of nervousness but NT helped me with lots of good advice/tips/diagrams/pictures. I chose the SFR AE's over the two competitor options because DD's AE's have a break in the circle of light and Pauly's AE's were known to be not very bright and easily washed out by HIDs. I wired them to turn on at the same time with my city lights. I turn the AE's on during cloudy mornings and the dusk/evening time period. I get so many stares~~!! Sometimes people will turn their whole body in my direction while driving past me to take a look at the AE's.

Even my girlfriend, after seeing them on my car, asked me to order these for her '07 Tiburon immediately. You'll see a picture of our cars together below with the AE's turned on in the dark.

My product review of the SFR angel eyes:
http://www.newtiburon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=157673

My DIY for installing the SFR angel eyes on the '07-08 FL2 Tiburons:
http://www.newtiburon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=158355

Re: ==optimummind's silver Tibby==

*** 2009-03-31. VIS Cyber carbon fiber hood. ***

After carrying the hood home safely from VIS HQ after mounting it on top of my roof, I got it installed on 4/1/09 with the help of a friend. I got a pretty good price on it since I was able to skip on the shipping. Lucky for me, VIS HQ is only about 17 miles away from my home.

I was initially very torn between the VIS Cyber hood versus the Seibon/Zefiro Chaos hood. In the end, I chose the VIS Cyber despite its higher price because I felt that it would flow better with my future G-Games Thunder front bumper and because less people have this hood.

To my friend's and my pleasant surprise, the VIS Cyber fit perfectly the first time without any modifications on our part--no playing with the hood latch or the rubber bumpers. I was even able to use BOTH of my hood shocks and the hood opens and closes gently. To close the hood, it takes the SAME amount of force as my OEM hood.

The only things that weren't provided with the hood were the tiny holes where the OEM window washer hose clips would snap into and the rubber bumper that pushes in the hood security pin in the engine bay. To solve the first "problem," I just used black electrical tape to hold down the window washer line. To solve the second "problem," I used some Home Depot padding to fabricate my own ghetto rubber bumper so that it would push in the hood security pin when I close the hood. Now my car's alarm system is fully functional again.







My product review of the VIS Cyber CF hood:
http://www.newtiburon.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2972626

My DIY for installing a CF hood:
http://www.newtiburon.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2973701

*** 2009-05-06. FL2 Gunmetal Interior Door Latches + Silver CF-Texture Door Panel Inserts. ***

Following Stimpy2301's excellent DIY, I got my door apart and installed my new door latches and door panel inserts. It was much easier than I thought initially to take the door apart. Unlike the DIY suggests, however, I did NOT peel off the plastic sheet from the door to install the door latches--I just pulled the plastic sheet up and down as necessary to make space for the door latches without ripping anything.

To access the door panel inserts, I had to pull off the yellow styrofoam piece and also pull back on the white fuzzy sheeting. I used a can of upholstery glue to stick the silver CF-texture panel insert on top of the OEM one. I only sprayed the edges of the panel inserts, however, so I can always take it off easily should I want to in the future. I let the glue dry for about a hour and a half before installing them back in the car. Well, here are the pictures.

Before:


After:


*** 2009-05-14. G-Games Thunder front bumper. ***

Three weeks after sending my payment, I finally got the "okay" from Mike at Import Shark to come over and pick up my bumper at the JTR facility in the city of Walnut. There was no way I could fit the bumper inside my car due to the rear strut bar so I asked my GF to help me carry it in her Tibby. Surprisingly, it fit!! Well, here is a picture of the bumper with just the primer on.



*** 2009-05-21. Delrin Shifter Bushings ***

Another item purchased thanks to positive feedback from NT. Before, with my OEM rubber shifter bushings, I had difficulty shifting from 1st to 2nd, 5th to neutral, and neutral to reverse. After putting these in, my shifting has improved tremendously. The smaller pair just popped in perfectly and the bigger pair required some sanding down to make them fit. Worth the price, worth the installation hassle, and highly recommended!

My product review of the Delrin Shifter Bushings here:
http://www.newtiburon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=162049




*** 2009-06-13. G-Games Thunder Front Bumper ***

For a flat $300.00 job, I say they did a pretty good job. There were THREE issues, however. One, there is a slight gap between the bumper and the bottom of the headlights. Two, there is a slight mismatch between the driver's-side fender and the bumper. And three, they broke off some chunks off my wheel guard plastic that is located underneath the car (the part that shield my CAI air filter). :3_plzdie:

I think issues one and two have more to do with the fitment of the G-Games Thunder bumper rather than the body shop. But issue #3, it was totally their fault for not being more careful.

Here are some pictures I took of my Tibby with the G-Games bumper on but WITHOUT my VIS Cyber CF hood installed (I had taken it off before dropping my car off at the shop because I was worried they might crack it).




Since it was getting too late on Saturday evening, I just re-installed my HID's. On Sunday morning (today), I put back my VIS Cyber CF hood and did some work on the Tibby with the help of my GF. In order to solve the problem of the gap between the bumper and the headlights, we cut a strip of rubber door weatherstrip from Home Depot and glued it on the bottom of my headlights.

With the help of my GF, we also taped on some rubber garage door bottom material to the underside of the G-Games to protect it from scratches/chips/cracks.

And here is how my Tibby looks now.






*** 2009-07-16. P0werAxel Dyno Tune & ECU Reflash ***

From what I gathered both here on NT and through reading some tuning books, it is recommended to get a dyno tune + a street tune after adding power adders to one's car. Although I'm not FI, I do have some NA bolt-on power adders--CAI, Megan Racing 4-1 Header, and the catback exhaust. So when an opportunity came up to have a Korean Hyundai tuner to work on my car to extract any remnant whp and torque, I decided to go for it.

The tuner is from a Korean company called P0werAxel and the guys that I worked with--Arvin and Ryan--were absolutely fabulous in their service and dedication to tuning my car. The process started with a street tune followed by a dyno tune at the famous md Automotive in Westminister, CA. The guys at md Automotive were very friendly and professional and a general pleasure to deal with.

Anyhow, on to the results. According to dyno graphs of a stock 2.0L, 5-spd Tiburon, the stock whp is usually rated between 120whp and 124whp. The stock torque is usually rated between 120 trq to 123 trq.

My 2004 2.0L, 5-spd Tiburon, with NA mods of the Fujita F5 CAI, Megan Racing 4-1 Equal-Length Header, and the Injen SuperSES Exhaust system, had a baseline dyno of: 141.41 whp & 144.41 trq.

After the P0werAxel street tune + dyno tune, my numbers increased to: 146.32 whp & 142.36 trq.

So I gained about 5whp but lost a couple torque. The tuner explained to me that my torque numbers went down because in order to increase whp safely by controlling for knock and misfires, he had to change some variables that led to the torque falling down a little bit. Since I care more about the safe and consistent running of my car over raw increases in whp and torque, I had no problems with that.



In addition to gaining some extra power, the ECU reflash also raised my redline RPM from 6,500RPM to 7,200RPM. The top speed limit was raised from ~130MPH to 155MPH.

All in all, I'm happy with my results and I had a great experience with both P0werAxel and md Automotive!!

** EDIT **: The P0werAxel reflash was removed from my car after 2 months. There were just too many bugs with it. For one, shifting from first gear to second gear became VERY abrupt and jerky. In order to get back the smooth shift, I had to adjust my driving style by more aggressively pressing the gas pedal right before I shifted into second. This got annoying after a while since I'm using up more gas unnecessarily, I'm slipping my clutch more, and it makes me sound like a ricer boy who wants to "race" all the time from the stoplight.

Second, I kept on getting CEL codes. The first CEL code I got right after the reflash was P0605 (ECU ROM Error). Because the ECU tuning device is a KDM market one, it wasn't compatible with my USDM ECU. The tuner (Ryan) from P0werAxel, to his credit however, fixed that CEL code by reprogramming and reflashing my ECU again to make the software and hardware compatible.

3rd, I got another CEL code--P0501 (Vehicle Speed Sensor Malfunction). With this CEL code, however, P0werAxel wasn't able to fix it. Since the VSS and its data are important in the correct functioning of my engine, I asked P0werAxel to reflash my ECU back to stock.

Re: ==optimummind's silver Tibby==

*** 2011-03-03. Ultraracing Front Lower Member Brace ***

My final suspension modification~! At first, I wasn't going to get this but after reading Generalduke's positive impression of the suspension mod in his DIY, I decided to buy it. The install wasn't very smooth, however. In fact, it was harder installing this than the front and rear strut bars, rear sway bar, and the coilovers. One of the mounting holes on the brace was too small and I couldn't align the hole on the brace to the mounting hole on the car to make the brace fit. In the end, I had to use my Dremel to enlarge that hole so the bolt could pass through.

You can see the bar underneath my Tib in this picture.



*** 2011-06-02. Hella Supertone Horns. ***

Not liking my '04 OEM horns due to their sheep-like bleeting sound and low volume, I finally got around to getting the Hella Supertone horns. I've had my eyes on these for a couple of years but just didn't get around to it. And, now my wifey can't tease me for having "funny-sounding" horns, lol~

Right away, the first thing you notice about the Hellas are that they are much bigger than the OEM horns and they are more blingy.



To install these, I played it the safe way and hooked them up using the provided relay (the power for the Hellas comes directly from the battery).

Here is the final installed picture.



What do I think about them? I LOVE them~!! They're loud, the horns' acoustics sound much better than OEM's, and add some "bling" to the engine bay.


*** 2011-06-17. FL Headlights ***

After going back-and-forth about this "OEM upgrade" for the past 3 years, I finally got the FL headlights for my Tibby. The impetus was a local NT member who crashed his FL Tibby and had a driver-side FL headlight for sale for a very good price. The passenger-side was utterly destroyed, however....

After a few leads on NT for the passenger-side FL headlight that led to nothing, I just purchased a brand-new OEM one from the dealership. The price wasn't too bad--$195.00 shipped.

I then transferred over my DDMTuning 55W HID's and the V-LEDS dual color-changing LED turn-signal bulbs to the FL headlights. Since I had the SFR LED angel eyes on my '04 headlights, I want them too on these FL's. Coming soon~!! :3_chubby:



*** 2011-06-26. SFR White LED angel eyes + LED Turn-signals ***

I just got my FL headlights but I couldn't leave it alone, lol~ Just as I did for my '04 headlights, I took them apart and painted them and installed the white LED angel eyes...and something extra~!! One of my favorite mods~!




*** 2011-08-06. VIS Sport GT Rear Bumper, GT Tech Type 2 Side Skirts, & VIS Cyber CF Hood Painted ***

I've finally finished with my exterior modding plans. Picking only the parts I like, I ended up with the G-Games Thunder front bumper in the front, GT Tech Type 2 side skirts for the sides, and the VIS Sport GT rear bumper for the back.

Re: ==optimummind's silver Tibby==

*** 2009-12-20. KJB Motorsports Magnetic Motor Oil & Transmission Gear Oil Drain Plugs ***

I got these from my Secret Santa at our company's X-Mas dinner party. I can't wait to change my motor oil and transmission gear oil now, LOL~ Don't you just love it when others pay for it and buy you car stuff?



*** 2010-01-05. Black Sedona Suede Dashboard Cover ***

Although nothing is wrong with my dashboard, I wanted to have something nicer-looking to stare at and touch than the hard black plastic that is my dashboard. I knew for 100% certainty that I didn't want a carpet dashboard cover. Hence, I went with the faux suede to spruce up my interior.

The install was easy but time-consuming. As promised in the ad, the fitment was PERFECT~~!! The material is soft to the touch and flexible. And it does look like real suede. Because the item was in new condition, the cover was a little bit stiff. To install, I aligned the dashboard cover to the round vents on top of the dashboard and aligned the rest of the cover accordingly. I then used the provided Velcro strips to hold down the cover. The provided Velcro strips were CRAP so I replaced them with my own Velcro I had laying around.

After aligning the cover and putting on the Velcro strips, then came the tedious part. In order to accelerate the "conforming" process of the dashboard cover to the dashboard, I used my hands to "massage" the cover to the contours of my dashboard. I did this for about an hour because I didn't want to wait for the natural conforming process (the installation manual says it can take about 2-3 days with dry, hot weather).

Overall, I'm satisfied with the product. It doesn't "Wow!!" me but I'm not disappointed either. Satisfied and content describe how I feel about this product. And I'm definitely glad I didn't get a carpet dashboard cover--it probably would've looked very awful. Now, some pictures.








*** 2010-01-28. Arkspeedracing Aluminum Vent Rings Set, APC Faux CF 3D Tail Lights ***

I drove over to Arkspeedracing's HQ in Montclair to pick up the 5-piece aluminum vent rings set and say "Hi~" to the guys at Ark. As expected from Ark, the heft and quality of the vent rings were exceptional. I installed the two large center vent rings by using a soldering iron to cut off the old silver vent rings I got from SFR back in 2008. No regrets, though, destroying a previous mod as the Ark ones look much better than the SFR silver vent rings.





To install the side vent rings, I used a small flat-tip screwdriver to pop off the OEM vent rings, mated the OEM ones together with the Ark ones, then installed them as a single piece. I didn't use the ignition ring piece as I prefer the look of the one I already got from Midnight Wolf.

Luis stopped by today and he gave me his APC Faux CF 3D tail lights so I can try them on my car. Here is how it looked like.




It took less than a day before I realized how crappy and ricey they looked on my car. lol~ Thanks, Luis, for letting me try it out but I WON'T be buying these from you after all.

*** 2010-02-02. Coverking Neoprene (Wet Suit) Front Seat Covers ***

At first I wanted to get some custom dual-color leather seat covers from Katzskin but changed my mind b/c the Katzskin covers cost ~$1,300 with installation (~$930 just for the covers) and I just wanted some low-maintenance, high grip, water-proof, and wrinkle-free seat covers. During my research process, I narrowed it down to two choices--black/gray covers from Wet Okole's or from Coverking. Although the Coverking covers were a little more expensive, I went with them because I found more positive reviews and installed pictures during my Google search.

Here is how it looks on my driver's-side seat.


After only one day, however, I took them off and sent it back for an exchange for the black/charcoal seat covers. The reason being that the gray color didn't really look gray in real life, although it looks gray in the above picture. The exchange process was pain-free and smooth. Just one phone call and the representative emailed me a free shipping label and started the exchange process.

*** 2010-02-10. OEM Black Leather Rear Seats ***

In my quest to improve the look of my interior, I went ahead and bought some used OEM black leather rear seats. The purchase was made from fellow NT member, DarkKiller. Thanks for the great communication, great price, and great shipping. Here is how it looks installed (cleaned quickly with some DI water but haven't applied leather protectant yet):



*** 2010-02-15. Viper 5901 Security System with Remote Start ***

After wanting a remote start feature for so long, I finally got it~~!! When I was in the market for a new security system + remote start, the two latest models from Viper were the 5901 and 5902. Although the remote on the 5902 with its OLED display was sexier, I couldn't justify spending an extra $150 just for the remote when the features are almost identical between the 5901 and 5902.

The installer installed everything in the box for $200--the alarm, shock sensor, remote trunk pop, and the remote start feature on my manual car (I had to sign a waiver).

Everything went smoothly except for one thing. Upon getting inside the car, I noticed right away that one of the three light bulbs that provides the background illumination for the climate control buttons and knobs had died. Mere coincidence or did the installer screw something up?? Or was it just time for that light bulb to finally die??

*** 2010-02-23. Coverking Black/Charcoal Neoprene Front Seat Covers ***

After sending out the black/gray seat covers for an exchange, I finally received the black/charcoal seat covers. I didn't like the previous black/gray seat covers because the gray didn't look like gray in real life, although it did in pictures. The black/charcoal covers flow better with the rest of my interior than the previous black/"gray" ones. Since this was my second time installing seat covers, the installation went by much quicker and I also did a better job as well. Here is how these ones look.

Re: ==optimummind's silver Tibby==

*** 2010-02-25. OEM High-Rise Spoiler. ***

Thanks to the generosity of Ted of Arkspeedracing, I was able to obtain an OEM high-rise spoiler at a great deal. The OEM paint it came with was Rally Red. I got it painted to silver at a local shop for $75.00 flat. The spoiler didn't come with the LED brake lights but it was no big deal as I just transferred over the brake light from my OEM low-rise spoiler. Unplugging the third brake light connector by taking off the interior hatch plastics was a pain~! Even more annoying was snaking in the third brake light wiring into the hole on the new high-rise spoiler then trying to take it out the other hole. To make it easier, I tied the connector end with some shoe string and put both of them inside the hole. I grabbed hold of the shoe string from the other hole, yanked the brake wire close to the hole by pulling on the shoe string, then took out the connector using some chopsticks and a thin plier. LOL~





*** 2010-04-01. Coverking Neoprene Black/Charcoal Rear Seat Covers ***

After having the front seat covers installed first and liking it, I ordered the matching pair of rear seat covers. The rear seat covers were much easier to install compared to the fronts. Just as for the front seat covers, the fitment of the rear seat covers were great and easy to install.





*** 2010-05-09. Moog Front and Rear Swaybar Endlinks ***

My front OEM sway bar endlinks were bent--I guess too much hard driving on the mountain roads. =P



So I went ahead and ordered some aftermarket Moog endlinks for both the front and the rear after reading numerous positive feedback here on NewTiburon.


Side-by-side picture showing OEM vs Moog endlinks:




As you can see, the front endlinks are very similar looking between the OEM's and the Moogs. The rear endlinks, however, look different and the Moog endlinks have grease nipples to reapply grease in the future (the OEM ones don't have the re-greasing option).


*** 2010-05-11. Hyundai Mobis Passenger Cupholder ***

I finally got the passenger cupholder from SFR and got it installed today. I followed the excellent DIY written by GSR4ME and everything went smoothly. Following his advice, using an L screwdriver made things MUCH easier~!! (it's like ~$2.50 from Home Depot for a pair). For me, this mod was a double Win-Win. It fills up the gaping rectangular hole in the dashboard for improved aesthetics and it offers functionality as well (girlfriend's drink no longer blocks my shifting).

Re: ==optimummind's silver Tibby==

*** 2010-05-11. 90% Raizin Voltage Stabilizer & Grounding Wire Kit ***





I have lots of electrical mods on my Tib--SFR LED angel eyes, 55W HIDs for the low-beam H7s, dual color-changing LED turn-signal lights + load resistors, LED license plate light, LED dome lights, LED glove compartment light, LED trunk light, aftermarket Sony HU, and the Viper 5901 security + remote start alarm system. So I decided to play it safe by adding the Raizin Voltage Stabilizer and some ground wires for some electrical stability since Hyundai, when the Tibs were being made, was known for sub-par electrical systems that acted in finicky manners when aftermarket electrical components were added to the stock electrical system.

During my research into this combo, I read through many raging debates about whether these items will actually help out one's automobile electrical system or not. There was one group who swore by its immediate and noticeable effectiveness (smoother startup, idle, and acceleration, improved gas mileage, no more funky dimming and blinking of lights inside the cabin when headlights, ventilation, or audio systems are activated or cranked up, etc). Then there was another group who said these items offer no improvement whatsoever and any perceived improvements are just inside your head and are placebo. In another words, a waste of money...

After pondering on this debate for about 2 months, I pulled the trigger and decided to try them out so I can experience them for myself.

The installation of the Raizin unit was simple and straightforward--find an appropriate location to hold down the Raizin unit somewhere inside your engine bay safely (I used industrial-strength Velcro and stuck it to the front side of my battery) then connected one Raizin wire to the positive battery terminal and connected the other Raizin wire to the negative battery terminal. Super easy~!

The installation of the grounding wires was not as simple. I wanted a DIY to reference but there were no DIY's I could find for a 4-cyl Tib here on NT. So, I just read through many threads and decided to connect the ground wires to the following locations:

[1] Battery --> ignition coil
[2] Battery --> IM grounding point --> chassis near fender
[3] Battery --> Block -->chassis near radiator






After driving around in my Tib for the past 2 days, I felt the following improvements:

[1] The Tib does idle a bit smoother.
[2] The Tib accelerates & decelerates more smoothly during highway driving.
[3] Both of my 55W low-beam H7 light bulbs turn on at the same time now. Before, they both turned on but in a staggered fashion about 0.5 sec apart from each other (especially during cold starts).

Even before installing these, I never experienced any blinking or dimming light phenomena on my Tib when I turned up the music, turned on the HIDs, or turning on the AC. I guess Hyundai performed some decent quality assurance on my Tib. =) But for other people with electrical problems, I think adding these two will definitely benefit the Tib.

I approve~!!

*** 2010-05-21. XG350 2-Piston Calipers + Hawk HPS Brake Pads + 12" R1 Concepts Cross-Drilled Rotors ***

Ever since I made a decision to get some bigger wheels for my Tib, I knew I had to install some bigger calipers and rotors to my Tib so my stock rotors and calipers don't look so gimpy and tiny behind the rims. Instead of spending over a thousand dollars to buy a big brake kit (BBK), I went with the XG350 2-piston caliper upgrade plus new brake pads and cross-drilled rotors.





Before (OEM 11" rotor, single-piston caliper, and brake pad).





After (R1 Concepts ELine 12" cross-drilled/slotted/vented rotor, XG350 two-piston caliper, and Hawk HPS brake pad).






The pedal feel and travel feel the same--tight and responsive. Even during my daily driving routines, I felt an improvement in initial bite and braking performance after the rotors & pads have been broken in. I like this newest mod a lot for the reasons being that:

[1] Improved braking performance
[2] Improved visuals

Re: ==optimummind's silver Tibby==

*** 2010-05-28. V6 Engine Bay Plastics ****

After holding off for a very long time, I finally got the engine bay plastics for improved aesthetics and to shield my DT-P coilover units from the rain (I have a vented CF hood). I was about to purchase this set from SFR but ended up buying it from a fellow NT member for a very good price. Here is how they looked once I took them out of the box.



As you can tell by the picture, the plastic pieces came kind of beat up and dirty. Even if they weren't beat up, I was already planning on painting them glossy black for a sleeker look. But because those pieces had some wear-and-tear, I used 2 different types of sanding paper to prep the surface after washing them with car wash soap.

In addition to the sanding and painting, I had to modify a few pieces for fitment. My engine cover plastic, power steering pump unit, and the Ark front strut bar all got in the way of proper fitment. Using the Dremel tool, I cut and snipped away accordingly.

And since I was already in the process of painting, I painted a few extra pieces inside the engine bay for a more uniform look--the plastic cover near the radiator and the engine cover plastic.

Here are some pictures of the finished product.












*** 2010-06-01. Painted engine bay fluid reservoir caps into metallic gold ***

Wanting to add some "bling" into the engine bay, I painted the fluid reservoir caps into metallic gold.

*** 2010-06-02. Painted the Ark front strut bar letters, Fujita CAI metal plate, and positive battery terminal cap into metallic gold ***

More painting...:3_smile:

Re: ==optimummind's silver Tibby==

*** 2010-06-05. 18" x 8", +45mm Roh Adrenalins + Sumitomo 235/40ZR18 Summer Performance Tires ***

Although I LOVE my OEM FL2 rims that I picked up back in the summer of 2008, I felt a need for a change. I like the split 5-spoke look so I went ahead with the 18" Roh's. It took me a while to find a supplier with the size I needed but I closed the deal and received the package that included: 4 x 18" Roh rims, 20 chrome lug nuts, and 4 hubcentric rings pre-installed (67.1mm to 76mm).





For the tire side of the equation, I went with the Sumitomo HTR Z III max summer performance tires again as I've only had good experiences and results with them since I first tried them out in 225/45ZR17 form last year in November on my FL2 wheels. They offer quiet and comfortable operation during daily driving and provide excellent grip and cornering stability through hard corners up in the mountains.

I was initially worried about fitment and rubbing issues due to the width of these tires--235mm. To my pleasant surprise, the Roh's and the Sumitomos fit just fine with no rubbing and other fitment issues. =)

Prior to the installation of the Roh's, I was riding on the OEM 17" x 7" (+46mm) FL2 wheels paired with the 225/45ZR17 Sumitomo HTR Z III's. The ride height was set so I would have a tight 2-fingers gap all-around. The 2-fingers gap didn't look as nice as having a 1-finger gap but it was necessary to do so to prevent my G-Games Thunder front bumper from experiencing an early and premature death due to bumps and dipped driveways.

After installing the 18" x 8" (+45mm) Roh Adrenalins and the 235/40ZR18 Sumitomos, without changing the height of the DT-P coilovers, my 2-fingers gap turned into a 1-finger gap all-around. I am very satisfied with this result.

Anyhow, here are the installed pictures.























*** 2010-06-17. StopTech Front & Rear Stainless Steel Braided Brake Lines ***

Since I did the 2-piston XG350 and front 12" rotor conversion, I figured that I might as well do the brake lines as well. Since StopTech makes some stainless steel brake lines for the Tiburon, to my surprise, I went with them as they're known for their top-notch products in the braking performance world. Besides having to bleed and replenish the brake fluid, everything came off and installed on smoothly.



*** 2010-06-18. R1Concepts Cross-drilled/slotted/vented rear rotors ***

In order to match the front 12" cross-drilled/slotted/vented rotors, I purchased some cross-drilled/slotted rear rotors, again from R1Concepts. As last time, I drove over to their HQ in La Habra to pick them up in order to save some money on shipping. The OEM rear rotors were harder to take off than the front OEM rotors. Thanks to SoCal's beautiful weather, however, the rear rotors came off after some beating with a rubber mallet.

Re: ==optimummind's silver Tibby==

*** 2009-11-03. V-LEDS 6,000-K 60 M-SMT Dual Color-Changing Turn-Signal LED Bulbs, V-LEDS 2W White LED Trunk & Glove Compartment Light Bulbs ***

In order to color-match my HID's and my angel eyes, I installed the V-LEDS 6,000-K dual color-changing turn-signal LED bulbs today. Wow~~they're so bright!! And in order to avoid the annoying "hyper-blink" or "hyper-flash" phenomenon, I added a 50W, 6-ohm load resistor to each turn-signal. The blue splicers that came with the load resistor package was utter crap--flimsy, bigger than necessary, and the gauge size was too big for the turn-signal power wires. So I chucked those out and used some 3M 22-to-16 gauge inline splicers instead. They are more compact and fit the turn-signal wires better.



**Shows the correct blinking pace of the turn-signal light after installation of the load resistors**

My product review of the V-LEDS White LED Light Bulbs:
http://www.newtiburon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=173084




*** 2009-11-06. V-LEDS 5,000-K 24-lumen white LED 194 License Plate Bulb ***

In my quest to convert all the yellow filament lights into white light, I installed the V-LEDS 5,000-K white LED 194 bulbs for the license plate. The installation was pretty simple--take off the license plate holder and plate (for clearance issues), pop out the black light bulb housings with a small flat-tip screwdriver (approach from the right-side), twist out the bulb connectors, pull out the old light bulbs, and stick in the new ones.

These bulbs are much, much brighter!



*** 2009-11-11. DDM Tuning Slim Digital 55W HID System with 4,500-K Bulbs ***

Although my older slim digital 35W 5,000-K HID system (from e-Bay seller, kickxtx) is working fine, I decided to upgrade to this 55W system for increased brightness. I do lots of night-time mountain road driving (Mulholland Highway, Glendora Mountain Road) so more brightness was preferred and sometimes necessary. Ever since I "lost" my fog lights after the bumper conversion, I've been missing the extra brightness up in the mountains. These 55W 4,500-K lights have compensated very well.

When I purchased the new HID's, I didn't order a relay harness with it as I was able to re-use the relay harness I got with my 35W HID kit.

I immediately noticed the increased brightness and I'm happy with this upgrade. Hopefully, these HID's will be reliable.

*** 2009-11-13. BADA AI White LED Dome Lights (24 LEDs total) ***

The final LED interior piece arrived today~!! I bought these from SFR and, as always, I received my order super quick (8 days). These were designed and made in Korea just for the Tiburon. So the fitment is perfect and no glue or adhesives are necessary to pop these in. These are so bright, my girlfriend complained about them, saying they hurt her eyes. LOL~ I'm still getting used to so much brightness. I figured they might be as bright as Diode Dynamics white LED dome lights as found in silver_platinum's car, which is fine by me, but these are brighter still.





*** 2009-11-17. Sumitomo HTR Z III Max Performance Summer Tires, 225/45/ZR17. ***

After having my front-right tire blow out while driving on the Glendora Mountain Road at night (see video below), I used that opportunity to upgrade my tires to these summer performance tires from Sumitomo. They were pretty affordable at $86.00 per tire and after shipping, the total came out to be $393.00. I went from the '08 OEM Kumho all-seasons which were sized 215/45R17 to these 225/45ZR17 tires. I like these tires so far. They are just as quiet as my old tires, have good cornering stability, and are good over bumps and uneven roads.

Video of my tire blowing out:

Pictures of my new tire:



*** 2009-11-20. Return of the G-Games Thunder Front Bumper ***

I got my bumper back from the body shop after getting the 2 cracks repaired. I got the cracks when I scraped my car while driving out of a gas station with my 15" spare tire on the front-right side (had ground clearance of only 1 & 1/2" to 2"). The body shop repaired the cracks and put new paint and clearcoat on. When I went to pick it up, however, they weren't done--they didn't fix the two cracked mounting holes on the passenger's-side and didn't sand down the repair fiberglass material. Instead of leaving the bumper at their shop for a few more days, I just took the bumper home at a discount price ($180 --> $100) and did the work myself.



*** 2009-11-28. Koyo Performance Radiator. ***

Picked up a brand-new Koyo radiator from fellow NT'er herbtea by driving down to San Diego. Herb sold his sweet yellow Tibby for a yellow 3.8 V6 Genesis Coupe Track and no longer needed the radiator. Although my radiator is fine, I bought it as a backup. Thanks Herb for a great price~~!!


*** 2009-12-17. VIS Sport GT Rear Bumper. ***

In order to achieve an aggressive look at the rear of car as the front-end, I decided on the VIS Sport GT rear bumper. The design is a copy of the original KDM Zefiro Ronda rear bumper and VIS is one of the companies out there making such copies, others including ImportShark and AIT. I decided on the VIS brand because ImportShark was charging too much, IMO, on a copy ($400.00 before shipping). I passed on the AIT one because they've been in business less than VIS and my research turned up that AIT's gel coating on this particular bumper is not as good as the primer on the VIS version.

By purchasing it together with Luis (silver_platinum) at the same time, I was able to receive a multiple-item purchase discount from VIS, in addition to price reductions from paying with cash-in-hand and picking up the bumper myself.

I was worried about fitment issues but was pleasantly surprised to discover that the bumpers fit perfectly. VIS was so confident with their fitment, they offered a full money-back refund option as well as a return/exchange option. Surely enough, when we test-fitted both of our VIS GT bumpers to Luis's car, the VIS GT bumper sat flush to the trunk and the rear quarterpanels and all of the pre-drilled mounting holes matched to the OEM mounting locations. As a result, the bumper will be painted by a body shop but the installation will be handled by us at my garage with simple hand tools.







*** 2009-12-18. Redline Goods 5-Speed Shifter Boot and Armrest Cover ***

Another set of mods that I should've purchased a long time ago but held off until now. Actually, I didn't purchase them but my GF did as my birthday present. LOL~ Like I expected from reading all the positive reviews here on NT, the look and craftmanship of the products are excellent.

Re: ==optimummind's silver Tibby==

*** 2010-06-19. Painted the Front and Rear Calipers with the Yellow G2 Caliper Paint ***

After much going back-and-forth between gold and yellow, I finally decided on the G2 yellow caliper paint kit. The XG350 calipers that I bought came pre-painted in red. However, the paint was already chipped and flaking off in several spots. I like red calipers but decided to choose a different color because everyone on NT seems to choose red and I wanted something different.

What appealed to me the most about the G2 caliper kit was its simplicity of application, compared to going with the traditional primer, spray, and clear method. As in any paint job, prep work is very important. I first applied some paint stripper to remove the red paint. After that, prep work consisted of sanding down the metal for a smoother surface.

Instead of painting the calipers while they are still installed on the car, I decided to take off all eight pieces of the caliper hardware so I could paint every surface area. Here are the caliper pieces being dried inside my garage.



And the finished & installed pictures.











*** 2010-07-19. Koyo Performance Radiator ***

My OEM radiator began to lose coolant at the top plastic part of the radiator. I found a very thin horizontal crack about four to five inches long. When driving around at city speeds, the coolant will bubble out of the crack and seep out very slowly. But at highway speeds, the coolant will escape faster and harder and the coolant will become spattered on my front windshield. I was able to catch this pretty quickly thanks to my vented CF hood. lol~

This incident has given me a good reason to finally take out of storage the Koyo radiator I bought last year on November 28th and use it. =)



Here are some pictures of the cracked OEM radiator with the crack located at the black top plastic part. Hyundai sure cheaped out on the design and materials of the radiator...





And here is picture of the OEM radiator with the fans attached sitting next to its superior replacement.


OEM and Koyo




Final installed pictures





The install went smoothly and easily. It helped that I had a couple friends over that helped me to guide the radiator inside the engine bay.

I LOVE my new Koyo radiator~~!!

Re: ==optimummind's silver Tibby==

*** 2010-07-25. Painted headlights to semi-gloss black. ***

Using some high-heat semi-gloss black spray paint, I painted the headlight bezels and turn-signal corner pieces. I didn't like how the OEM headlight bezels weren't black but more like a dark charcoal color.



*** 2010-09-25. Return of the G-Games Thunder front bumper ***

During my drive home from the Glendora Mountain Road, I hit an object on the 57 South freeway. Naturally, my G-Games was damaged. =( The following day, I put back on my OEM bumper and dropped off the G-Games at my body shop for repair. Being a repeat customer, I was charged only $150.00. =)

Here are some pictures of the damage.







And now the restored pictures.







*** 2010-12-09. Arkspeedracing DT-S VII Exhaust System ***

After a long and patient wait, the new Arkspeedracing DT-S VII exhaust system is on my car, yay~!! And, it is everything I expected from Ark plus more~!! I expected great quality of construction and craftmenship and it was there. I expected better airflow and an increase in the butt-dyno experience and it was there. The plus part is from the sound experience--I knew that the new air reservoir feature of the DT-S VII could greatly reduce or eliminate the cabin drone but I didn't know just how effective and complete it was (even though I was a test-fitter).

Whereas I still suffered from some cabin drone with my modified Injen SuperSES exhaust setup (Injen resonator cut off and replaced with the Magnaflow 11216 muffler), the Ark DT-S VII completely eliminates it--both on the locals and, more impressively, on the freeways when going 75MPH to 80MPH. With my previous Injen setup, I suffered the worst cabin drone from 70MPH and up. Now, no more~!! =)

The DT-S VII completely blows away my previous setup in all ways.

[1] Under-axle design
[2] Superior materials, craftmenship, and build quality
[3] Deeper and more aggressive exhaust sound (especially on startup and during the first 3 gear changes)
[4] NO MORE FRIGGIN CABIN DRONE~!!
[5] More butt-dyno power.

And here are some comparison pictures between my older Injen setup and the new DT-S VII setup.

Injen


Ark


Injen


Ark








And here is the first virgin startup video with the DT-S VII freshly installed.

And the virgin rev-ups

Here is a drive-by video from 2010-12-12 Sunday.



*** 2011-01-12. OEM Chrome Door Handles. ***

After sporadically wanting these for the past two years, I finally got them and installed. It's not a huge exterior makeover like my bumper or CF hood but it does bring out some bling when viewing the car from the side. I like it~!!

Re: ==optimummind's silver Tibby==

Re: ==optimummind's silver Tibby==


*** Future mods ***

[] Put foglights back


How to install the SFR 7,000-K LED Angel Eyes on a '07-08 GK FL2 Tiburon
http://www.newtiburon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=158355

How to install the SFR 7,000-K LED Angel Eyes on a '03-04 GK Tiburon

How to install a HID Light System with a Relay Harness
http://www.newtiburon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=156229

How to install an aftermarket header on a 4-cylinder Tiburon
http://www.newtiburon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=136790

How to install a carbon fiber hood
http://www.newtiburon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=158752

How to fix the clutch pedal squeaking noise
http://www.newtiburon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=132561

How to fix the BCM turn-signal relay problem:
http://www.newtiburon.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2947635#post2947635


Redline MT-85 (75W-85) gear oil & the Redline Lightweight Shockproof Gear oil
http://www.newtiburon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=201813

Megan Racing Equal-Length 4-1 Header
http://www.newtiburon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=136787

35W Slim Digital 5,000-K HID System (e-Bay: kickxtc)
http://www.newtiburon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=156200

SFR 7,000-K White LED Angel Eyes
http://www.newtiburon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=157673

V-LEDS Dual Color-Changing Turn-Signal LED Bulbs, V-LEDS 2-watt White LED Trunk & Glove Compartment Light Bulbs
http://www.newtiburon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=173084

Ark DT-P Coilovers
http://www.newtiburon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=147378

Delrin Shifter Bushings (inside engine bay)
http://www.newtiburon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=162049

Tuscani Door Sills
http://www.newtiburon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=156201

Silver CF-Texture Interior Door Panel Inserts + FL2 Interior Door Latches
http://www.newtiburon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=161154

XRacetech Stainless Steel Temperature Dial Knobs
http://www.newtiburon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=155604

VIS Cyber Carbon Fiber Hood
http://www.newtiburon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=158680

Mothers PowerBall Mini and Meguair Plast-X plastic polishing compound
http://www.newtiburon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=159940

Eheim 1046A Waterpump for PC
http://www.newtiburon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=157900

Re: ==optimummind's silver Tibby==

*** Space reserved ***

Re: ==optimummind's silver Tibby==

*** 2012-12-31. JVC KD-S39 headunit ***

After being in service for almost 5 years, my old Sony headunit began crapping out on me. The sound from the front-left speaker would fade in and out and the head unit would sometimes shut off on its own then turn back on erratically.

Not wanting to invest in a high-quality (high-cost) headunit until I'm ready to go all-out for a full an complete audio upgrade, I picked up a cheapo JVC headunit from Walmart. I actually received it as one of my Christimas presents.

Fortunately, the wiring color and connection scheme turned out to be identical between the Sony and the JVC headunits. So instead of purchasing a new wiring harness, I simply reused the old one still installed on the Tib. I did, however, have to cut the wires and do some soldering since the Sony and JVC power connectors were differently sized. Nothing critical or hard to do, though.


Although my battery was doing fine and still healthy, I got myself an Exide Orbital AGM battery because an opportunity to upgrade came up. My mom's battery on her 2007 Sonata was showing signs of old age and upcoming death (it's at least 6 years old). So I decided to donate to the Sonata my still relatively young Diehard battery (Sept, 2011) and get for myself an Exide. I've read numerous positive reviews about the Exide brand and I wanted to give it a shot. Initially I was gonna get an Optima. But negative reviews across multiple car & audio forums and its change (downgrade) in quality starting from about 5-6 years ago put me off.

Amazon said that the battery wouldn't fit but I knew it would. The width and length of the Exide was identical to the Hyundai OEM battery and the height was shorter than the OEM battery by a few centimeters. The major difference between the OEM and the Exide was the location of the positive and negative terminal posts. On the Exide, it's closer to the center of the battery.




It installed perfectly~!!





The only slightly challenging part was fitting my engine bay covers around the battery and the new orientation it created due to the location of the terminal posts.

Compared to the OEM 600 CCA, the Exide offers 800 CCA and 95 RC. I've never been so happy with a car battery purchase~!! LOL~!!

*** 2013-01-21. Wet Okole Neoprene Seat Covers ***

After being solely disappointed by the craptastic Coverking neoprene seat covers, I changed out to the Wet Okole ones. The Okoles are about $100 more expensive than the Coverking's but there are several good reasons why - much higher quality neoprene, better construction, better fit, and better UV coating and resistance.

Re: ==optimummind's silver Tibby==

*** 2011-08-08. OEM 3-Way window washer hood nozzles ***

When I was getting my VIS Cyber CF hood painted, I decided to use the opportunity to "upgrade" to the 3-way window washer hood nozzles. These 3-way nozzles are a bit bigger than my '04 OEM ones but the fitment into the hood was perfect.





*** 2011-10-22. Tuscani LED Side Mirror Covers ***

After many false starts and frustrating setbacks--mainly due to lack of good and reliable information--I finally installed the Tuscani LED side mirror covers. :3_chubby: For real, this is my LAST and final exterior modification to my Tibby. :3_shiny:

Instead of getting the LED side mirrors from SharkRacing or SFR, I bought these directly from Korea, home of the Tibbys. My LED side mirrors are different from the ones sold by SR and SFR in that it has TRIPLE functionality (as opposed to their dual functionality):

[1] LED side mirror turn-signals blink when you use the blinker.
[2] When the blinker LEDs on the side mirrors are not being used, they stay lit (with one-click of the multifunction switch).
[3] Has white LED puddle lights.

This project has been one of the hardest and most time-consuming project for me. In the end, however, I'm very happy~!! :3_chubby:

I LOVE the fact that the puddle lights turn on with the dome lights--when you open the door, manually press the dome light button, and when you press the unlock key on the keyfob. It's very slick and provides excellent night visibility.









Untitled on Vimeo

*** 2012-03-10. Llumar Graphite Window Tint (35% front, 15% rest) ***

I can't believe I hadn't done window tinting yet~! In preparation for the hot summer and to preserve my seat covers, I went with some Llumar Graphite 90% metal/10% dye window tint. Just in case of future tinting-related tickets, I purchased the lifetime fix-it ticket replacement warranty option.

Re: ==optimummind's silver Tibby==

a lovely progression! great clean car!

Re: ==optimummind's silver Tibby==

Love ur car bro !!! Keep it clean. Can't wait to see the new hood

Re: ==optimummind's silver Tibby==

You can use one person to take off the hood, you just have to use the FORCE DAVID!

lol

but yeah dude your car is coming along very clean and superb!

cant wait to see it all modded up at the fontana dragway meet.

Re: ==optimummind's silver Tibby==

i like it, turnin out pretty cool

how much those diamonplate floormats cost?

Re: ==optimummind's silver Tibby==

you have the most organized tibby page. props to you! i love it so far. the 07-08 rims look pretty nice, i never seen them on a GK. nice! keep up the nice work! looks very clean too.

Re: ==optimummind's silver Tibby==

**Update: ***Pics of the VIS Cyber CF hood added to my 3rd post.

I had a MAJOR DUMBA$$ BRAIN FART today!! I drove to the VIS HQ in the City of Industry to pick up the hood and realized only at pick-up that I COULD NOT FIT THE HOOD to my car!! Several dudes at VIS had silly grins all over their faces but they were kind and offered me some foam and rope so I could install it to my hood. A UPS truck driver saw my crap job tying down the box on my hood so he came over to help me as well.

I was SO NERVOUS about driving on the freeway on the way back home, I exited the freeway after traveling like 2 miles and drove the rest of the 14 miles on the locals (thank goodness for my GPS's re-routing feature!!) Well, here is what my car looked like.





Luckily, the hood arrived safely and soundly. =) Never before in my life have I obeyed the speed limit so well. I never exceeded 40 mph--sometimes going even slower and letting the traffic behind me pass by pulling over to the right. LOL I was so afraid that the sudden acceleration would unsettle the box, I took off from 2nd gear most of the time for a smooth transition. lol

Re: ==optimummind's silver Tibby==

Got the VIS Cyber CF hood installed! Pics found on post #3.

Re: ==optimummind's silver Tibby==

The hood looks great!!!