01 Caprice

[WHCapriceHBD]

I'm glad people like the headlights, overwhelmingly everyone has said they're an improvement over the old VT stock lights, and the HIDs at night.... WOW. I CAN SEE. I've aimed them to as close to factory aiming specs against a wall as I can get. And I've done a lot of driving and parked the car in an empty carpark and driven past and towards the front of it from various angles with the HIDs on, and I don't get any harsh glare or irregular beam patterns or light bleed. They cut off like normal HID projectors and they are an incredibly good upgrade.

^ I did consider the clear bra material for over the light lenses- I have it all over the front of my FD RX-7 and I really like the stuff a lot.

What I have noticed when using it (I applied it myself on the RX-7 and it turned out very neat) is that on a piece of clear plastic such as headlight lenses, it makes the clarity go a bit... I don't know how to describe it... Opaque? Slightly wavy? Sort of like looking through a coke bottle. So I'm a bit hesitant to spend the money on it and have the headlights lose clarity.

I've been looking at the fog lights now, and I'm thinking of removing them and doing a similar blackout style inside the lenses to match the headlights.

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And also, I've been looking at the front guards (fenders) and thinking I could take them off and do something subtle near the side indicator lights, maybe an inverse scoop behind the front wheel, etc. I know VZ or one of those models has a nice looking side indicator across a scoop looking insert thing. I'm on the fence whether I should do something like that on this car....

 

[Risky]

And also, I've been looking at the front guards (fenders) and thinking I could take them off and do something subtle near the side indicator lights, maybe an inverse scoop behind the front wheel, etc. I know VZ or one of those models has a nice looking side indicator across a scoop looking insert thing. I'm on the fence whether I should do something like that on this car....

I reckon it would compliment the front well from all that work you've done. I don't know if they sell the guards so you can put the insert ones from the VZ in, but it'd be worth a search.

 

[Skydrol]

I see what are you talking about on the distortion... heck, there is no winning on headlights except for buying new or.... made out of glass. In another hand, will crack from road debris...

Yellowing or Cracking....

 

[sleepa]

I see what are you talking about on the distortion... heck, there is no winning on headlights except for buying new or.... made out of glass. In another hand, will crack from road debris...

Yellowing or Cracking....

There are some awesome UV coatings you can get that effectively replace the factory UV coating, so you should get at least a few years out of an application after you restore a yellowed headlight. Also to help avoid yellowing you can apply paint sealant to the headlights from new every few months or so, same as when you do your cars and it will help a lot.
Best option I have found.
I wouldn't be using that clear bra stuff on the lights though.

 

[WHCapriceHBD]

I just priced up the idea of venting the front guards (fenders) with the VZ SS flutes- the cheapest pair of VZ indicator flutes are over 250 dollars.... I'll either have to make something or do what I did with the headlights and Grange grille- restore something cheaper/in poor condition.

I didn't think that a pair of what look to be plastic clip in trim pieces, would be that expensive, comparatively speaking. I do want to do this, but I might just get a bit creative with what I do. Story of my life really..

There is also the possibility that I just remove the stock front guards/fenders and use them to make parent moulds out of fiberglass and then mould my own scoop type... things... into a fiberglass or composite set of guards of my own design.

 

[Geoff007]

I have a WH grange just bought today and I just wanted to know if anybody knows how to change globes in map light in mirror as it isn't working

 

[Geoff007]

To WHD Caprice what are the rear controls for stereo as my grange don't have that

 

[WHCapriceHBD]

"WHD" what the?

Grange didn't get all the luxury items like rear roof climate/stereo controls or the rear passenger vanity mirrors or the rear passenger headphones or the self levelling rear air suspension or the rear roof mounted speakers, sorry.

If you wanted the luxury spec interior and all those extra items, you had to buy a Caprice only. Grange was more stripped down inside. And you can't easily retrofit those things unfortunately.

Grange is based on Statesman. Statesman was the base model with the least available luxury equipment. No power seat position memory. No individual driver & key memory like mine has, etc.

A Statesman also has a bare roof with no controls or anything- Statesman have VIN numbers that begin "WHY-xxxxxxxx".
Grange VIN number also begins WHY-xxxxxxx" as they are really Statesman bodies.

Caprice VIN number begins with "WHZ-xxxxx" as they are different.


To change the bulbs inside the vanity mirrors, you need to pry the mirror in half along the outer edge. It unclips and reveals the bulbs inside. Its a weird design.

 

[WHCapriceHBD]

Ok, small project flash update!

As I might have shown you earlier in the thread, I am able to do some re-upholstery work. I'm learning as I go, anyways.

I found some suede (some people, especially Americans like to call it "Alcantara") in the same colour as the dark pewter leather in my car. I'll admit, the Alcantara fabric was moderately expensive, but I just like the stuff so I bought a roll of it.

The first thing I wanted to try it out on, were the cold hard plastic B pillar trims. They have a fake leathery looking 'grain' moulded on the plastic, but they don't fool anyone. They looked tacky and I figured they were an easy pattern to cut and try out.

Behold, on the left, is the stock standard plastic B pillar trim cover. On the right, is the other side pillar cover that I've spent some time upholstering in the suede/alcantara. The upholstered one looks and feels infinitely nicer. I'm impressed with the work I managed to do. It looks factory.

I made sure to underlay 2mm thick foam backing all over the pillars first, and then make the covers to slip/sew over. This way when you touch the pillar, it feels soft and not hard.

Here's both pillars done. I love them. I waited til my wife was asleep and then made a mess of the living room with scraps of fabric and stuff...

I'll probably find a few other interior parts to do in the coming few days. More complex parts.
When I was younger, my Dad once said something to me that still applies to most things- "If you do it right, people won't be sure you've done anything at all."

 

[Skydrol]

Funny though... I never heard of Alcantara as a fabric but I heard it many times as Alcantara in Spain. We call it as far I know from suede to faux leather, etc... Anyway, never the less, looking forward to the end of the project to see the outcome.

Very true, a nicely done job goes unnoticed; perhaps that is why good employees never get recognized ;-)