PIMP MY RAV4.1!

[JJCRU23R]

thanks jeffy, but im NSW.

[JJCRU23R]

31st birthday update!

Wife said shed buy my next mod, so i Was going to buy keyless entry to ease entering/leaving my 4.1, but the local attendants at Autobarn didn't know what they were talking about and the local supercheap didn't have a kit with decent install instructions and insisted on a pro to install, so I bought a few other things instead...

the speakers are for the rears which weren't functional. I'm also going to wire up a sub in the back.. If you remember my silver corolla, I made a fiberglass box for an 8" kicker which moulded into one corner of the 1zz boot. I still got it. I'm planning on building another box to accommodate both the solobaric and the mono amp I use to power it with.. installation was cut short due to my birthday celebrations but I'm hoping to wake up early to finish installing the rear speakers at least!

[JJCRU23R]

I know the speakers are cheap, but did you not see the car it's going into?! Lol! features of this car are no frills cheap but installed with the care of using much more expensive equipment, to ensure an enjoyable ride. I never bother going through all this work to have it break down on me.

Btw it's a pain having to get to the rear speakers since you have to remove the lower bolts for the rear seat belts to ensure you have a clear view of the speaker. The original speakers are only 4". I'll be mounting these 4 way 6.5"s onto the moulded plastic, so the speakers will be seen when the rear door is opened. not my choice really, since the hole accommodating the 4" stockies aren't so accommodating to these larger speakers I'm trying to fit.

[JJCRU23R]

This box is going into the 4.1 as is when all the wiring is done.

[jeffy]

hehehe "corolla" ;)

[JJCRU23R]

Decided to put my old bundera's subs and amp into the 4.1!

And the club sticker is thanks to Mish!

[JJCRU23R]

Double post- sorry!

[JJCRU23R]

Hey guys quick update. Registration was due and ive chosen to go for the cheaper (short term) option of 6 month registration. It costs about 20-30 bucks more over the year compared to buying 12months rego in one hit. Its convenient.. And im glad they let you do it that way.

I'll need to pay CTP and the RTA again in march 2012 but at least I won't need a pink-slip until September 2012.

I was meant to be going to the local panel beaters today to get a quote to repair all the dents, but my wife had other plans and had a gardener come and tackle the weeds in the backyard. Lucky I'm on holidays with nothing important to do so the panel beater will have to wait until at least tomorrow. Great day in western Sydney today!

Ima be hanging with the kids at home waiting for the gardener to be done weeding out the backyard!

Great being a high school teacher.. 10 weeks off throughout the year!

[JJCRU23R]

Ok so I still havent gone to the panel beaters just yet. however, I did manage to successfully test out one of the things i bought this 4.1 for in the first place - the TOW BAR.

its got a 7 pin plug on it, and luckily, so does my dads box trailer.

I took a second pic from the side.... somehow the picture didnt save!? freaky.

Usually I borrow my dads corolla or 100 series landcruiser to tow a load of junk to the tip since none of the cars Ive previously bought had tow bar (except for the Bundera, but then I never needed it back then).

Anyways, on this very windy day we loaded as much household and backyard junk onto that trailer and headed down to the local tip. Dispite a few initial problems with the indicators they somehow fixed themselves and we were safe to go to the tip!

One thing I really noticed about the trip was how easy the car still drove even with all the crap loaded on the trailor. It was seriously as easy to drive as if I had nothing towing in the back in the first place!

On dads 1zz, when we towed stuff, you would really feel the engine pushing harder. Had absolutely no problems with the 4.1 this time around!

Goes to show that I really got my moneys worth when I bought this 4wd! The only thing i got to complain about is the fee for dumping the junk. The prices have gone up heaps.. I used to be able to give them $50 or $60 on entry when they weight the car and trailer and get a fair bit of change, less than $20 after Id have dumped the stuff and gotten weighed on the way out. This time i gave the lady $60 on entry, then on exit, she told me I owed her 6-7 bucks more! WTF!

[JJCRU23R]

Hey guys, I got a little bit bored today so for the heck of it, I took the tools out to see exactly what's going on behind the front bumper and check out the extent of the damage the 4.1 has taken to it's face.

[JJCRU23R]

As you may be able to see in the pics, I've taken the passengers side fender, which I took a mallet to in order to straighten out the dent. Two minute job on the dent.. A good 15-20 minutes on my own undoing each bolt. After I took the front bumper off I was pleased to see minimal damage to anything underneath. The only things in need of repair or replace are the fenders which surround both front tyres, that support bar that is situated in front of the radiator and the passenger side headlight. The headlight works but since the 4.1 has taken a bit of a hit, two of the 4 bolt holes that hold the headlight down have broken off.

If I had the cash I'd be able to take off the old parts and replace them with new bits myself. As for the rest of the little dents on the outside.. I'm thinking I should just replace the headlight before letting the professionals deal with my car. But yea it's nice to confirm no significant damage to the chassis!

[JJCRU23R]

gday all.. today ive put back together the front of the rav4.

I will be going to pick n payless tomorrow morning.. hope to find some decent replacement bits and pieces for my rav4.

Im also on the lookout for anything about this generation of rav4 regarding lowering/engine mods.. any websites/resources/stores anyone can refer me to? its kinda slow going for me at the moment.

[nrbdw55]

good on you jason. i like your style

[JJCRU23R]

Just a quick rant... Although the guys at GENERAL JAPANESE SPARES contacted me quickly after my initial inquiry through their website, I wouldn't trust the accuracy of the info they offer on their site.

Their descriptions are very non specific, claiming they were "wrecking whole car early and late shape engine, doors"

When I received a call back, it turned out that the image of the rav4 they were wrecking (same generation as mine) on their site had been sold long ago. The only rav4 they had currently in stock was a 2000< model.

Dont trust the site for up to date information regarding parts!

[JJCRU23R]

Had to look after the kids today so I couldnt go to pick n payless. Argh. Its my holidays anyway.. it can wait

[JJCRU23R]

buying passenger side headlight from www.expresscarparts.com.au.

There cheapest price Ive seen online on new headlights. This includes Ebay for the same identical part. Hope to see it land at my doorstep on Wednesday!

[JJCRU23R]

good on you jason. i like your style

Thanks dude..

[JJCRU23R]

Bought some panel beating tools and went to work on the fenders... $35 and a couple hours of daylight.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Im pretty happy with the reduced gap below the headlight... however I did just order a new replacement headlight so after I have that fitted on this side I'm hoping to line up the panels a lot better and reduce those gaps even more.

[JJCRU23R]

Drivers side..

BEFORE:

AFTER:

[JJCRU23R]

Besides taking off the front bumper, there were bolts that needed to be removed below the headlight, under the wheel well, had to take of the plastic side panel to expose a hole which gives you access to another bolt, three bolts on top in the engine bay, as well as one bolt you need to access by opening the front door.

I did the "smart" thing and use the drivers side fender as a reference for which bolts go where, so when the time came to put all the bolts back into place and I wasnt sure which bolt went where, I just ran around to the other side of the car just to make sure.

[JJCRU23R]

This is far from where I am at right now but this is more or less where I aspire to take it... courtesy of "mensajero" of PuertoRico @ rav4wold.com

[JJCRU23R]

Minus the carbon fiber hood.. Maybe

[jeffy]

you gna colour match the bumper+ skirts or leave it black ?

[JJCRU23R]

I was thinking if I painted it, I'd go gunmetal or some type of dark metallic grey instead of black for the plastics.

The bomex frontbar and hood on that white rav is carbon fiber, not exactly black.

[JJCRU23R]

Hard to find or even sniff those low profile flares online! They look to be a Toyota US accessory though since a lot of Ravs from the US have them