Joey Mod Completion!

Yesterday I started what is called a "Joey Mod" on Calie (my car) and so I woke up today bound and determined to get this modification done! So after baking the parts so that I could get into the reflector, I masked off the silver reflector (this is what projects the light out in front) and the orange turn signal lens.

The next step was to buff the chrome plated plastic so that the primer and paint would get good adhesion to the plastic. After this was three coats of primer and four coats of satin black








I decided to bake the paint for about 6 minutes at 170 degrees F so that it had a good setting period and hopefully good adhesion! Doesn't it look tasty?








Here is the semi-completed product. All the tape is removed and I think it looks pretty good. Time to get those clear lenses back on!








Here is the completed project, minus the car. Total time...about six hours and total cost was about $7...not to shabby if I do say so myself. My finger tips though, hurt like heck after peeling and sticking countless pieces of tap to get the mask job just right! Its worth it though...








And here are the lights back in the car...wahoo! Looks good to me! What do you think?

"Go for Launch" to bake the headlights

Discovery Space Bound
The Space Shuttle Discovery blasted off today bound for the International Space Station with the Japanese made Kibo lab on board. I documented the last shuttle launch back in February, and again, NASA did not disappoint. For some reason these launches captivate me. The pure power that these machines poses is crazy! I just wish it would have been last weekend, RAC and I would have motored over and watched!

Discovery has quiet the payload on board, including Kibo. Kibo is the largest module to go up in the shuttle and is a huge 32,000 pound science lab. It fills the entire cargo bay of the shuttle, leaving room for very little. What little they could bring on board is some plumbing parts for the faulty toilet on the station. Does NASA have protocols on plumbers crack in space? Anyways, Buzz Lightyear also made the trip up as a part of a children's science awareness project. Pretty cool. So Check out the awesome spectacle that is the shuttle launch. Only 10 more remain before they head to the bone yard. Bummer!

Discovery Launch


Back on 250 until gooey and golden brown...
Tonight, after the launch I got busy doing another modification on Calie, the MINI Cooper. I decided to do what they, on the MINI forums call a "Joey Mod" and I decided, what they hay, I might as well try it right? The Joey Mod essentially blacks out a headlight, giving it a really different and unique look. So I checked out the DIY forums and found a simple how to and I decided that I was going to do this mod.

Little did I know that in the course of the evening I would be backing my headlights in my oven. Yes, my oven. Seriously its not as bad as it sounds. The epoxy that they seal the the plastic lens onto the main body of the light is really gooey at higher temps. I tried using the sun as my heat but it just didn't get it loose enough. So, back at 250 degrees F for about 5 minutes, pry gently with a screwdriver and you get the clear lens off. Now all I have to do is mask the reflector and paint in the morning. Check back later for the completion of this mod...oh and MMA is on CBS...lets go Kimbo Slice!