Cladding=complete. Next item

Ok I think the "Showroom new" completes the cladding project. The plan has been made to make the hood insert closely match the cladding.

Next items I would like to address is:

The fuel door. I have a couple of ideas. Polish it, with black screws. Or do it with the same stuff I plan for the hood insert and use or paint screws stainless. Or polish the outer ring and satin black for the door. Would like to solicit suggestions and see what others have done.

Front running lights: They just seem so plain compared to the rest of the truck. My ideas are really undeveloped for this. I would like to go with (Multi) LED maybe amber or yellow. Something that looks cool.

Black Chrome lug nuts. I think it will be a inexpensive way to update the look of my wheels. My problem so far is that the nuts come in four sets of five @ 35$ I hate to buy an extra four sets just to get 4 nuts.

Would like to add (maybe black chrome) skull KC, light grills. Have absolutely no luck finding these.

I am really soliciting ideas and maybe links to pic to inspire me. I am trying to make these mods quality, but inexpensive. These are all clearly wants not needs. For my ride to be cool. It also needs to be guilt free.

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Originally Posted by bssage

Black Chrome lug nuts. I think it will be a inexpensive way to update the look of my wheels. My problem so far is that the nuts come in four sets of five @ 35$ I hate to buy an extra four sets just to get 4 nuts.

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I have some black chrome lug nuts from McGard and the ones that I got matched the stock lug nuts almost exactly. What I did was to buy four sets of five lug nuts and then bought a set of four wheel locks to add the sixth lug nut to each wheel. I've had them a few years now, but I use them year round and some of them aren't fairing too well in the Colorado winter weather. We don't use salt out here, but I have a feeling that the Mag-Chloride is doing a number on them (it can also do a number on the chrome wheels). I am thinking about buying a new set of black chrome lugs just for summer use and keeping the existing ones for winter.

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Originally Posted by bssage

Next items I would like to address is:

The fuel door. I have a couple of ideas. Polish it, with black screws. Or do it with the same stuff I plan for the hood insert and use or paint screws stainless. Or polish the outer ring and satin black for the door. Would like to solicit suggestions and see what others have done.

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What about carbon fiber on the fuel door and maybe hood insert? I've seen that done before. It should be relatively unexpensive...See below link

http://vehicross.info/forums/showthr...t=carbon+fiber

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Originally Posted by VXD959

What about carbon fiber on the fuel door and maybe hood insert? I've seen that done before. It should be relatively unexpensive...See below link

http://vehicross.info/forums/showthr...t=carbon+fiber

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I looked into that. I like the look of the carbon fiber. But the dude at our local shop said, and I quote "It cant be applied to curved surfaces" I was like WTH that is all I see them applying it to on Utube or the internet. I was asking for a quote on the hood insert. Which is relatively flat. I have seen a ton of vids applying this on mirrors motorcycles ect. Apparently its just too complicated for Keokuk Iowa.

I do like the idea though.

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Originally Posted by MSHardeman

I have some black chrome lug nuts from McGard and the ones that I got matched the stock lug nuts almost exactly. What I did was to buy four sets of five lug nuts and then bought a set of four wheel locks to add the sixth lug nut to each wheel. I've had them a few years now, but I use them year round and some of them aren't fairing too well in the Colorado winter weather. We don't use salt out here, but I have a feeling that the Mag-Chloride is doing a number on them (it can also do a number on the chrome wheels). I am thinking about buying a new set of black chrome lugs just for summer use and keeping the existing ones for winter.

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That comes to $93.80 at amazon. The one's at auto zone were $32 for twenty with no option (I could find) to get an additional four. But even if I bought two sets of these I would be money ahead.

And Yea Iowa is doing a number on my wheels. But the lugs have peeled and are rusting ect really bad shape.

I am not sold on the locks. Really I have a difficult time finding the right size stuff and personally dont know anyone who has ever had their wheels stolen. I can see stealing a whole car. I would imagine it happens in the city. But you would have to make sure a car is not alarmed, Then make sure the wheels are not locked, Then confirm they would fit. In addition to having the tools, jack, time, ect ect...

Side note: Last time I got my wheels rotated. They put three of the four locking nuts on one wheel. Idiots......

The price sounds about right to me for four sets of five black chrome lug nuts plus one set of four wheel locks. I've seen the AutoZone twenty lug nut kits and I have a feeling it is definitely a "you pay for what you get" thing. I'm sure that they are fine, but I REALLY don't want the wheels flying off of the VX at 70 mph so I'm comfortable with paying a little bit more for some quality stuff. The McGard lugs that I have are just starting to discolor, not rust, and I'm just a stickler when it comes to that sort of stuff which is why I was thinking about getting a second set (not because the lugs are rusting or failing).

I'm, sort of, with you on the wheel lock issue. I live up in the mountains where crime isn't really a problem but I still have the wheel locks on my wheels. Guess it's really just force of habit, and when I bought all of the lugs and locks it seemed to make the most sense to get the set of four wheel locks instead of buying another set of five lug nuts. Part of the reason that I originally bought the lug nuts was because I had lost the wheel lock key to my original set of lugs and had to have a tire shop take the locks off, which destroyed them in the process.

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Originally Posted by bssage

I looked into that. I like the look of the carbon fiber. But the dude at our local shop said, and I quote "It cant be applied to curved surfaces" I was like WTH that is all I see them applying it to on Utube or the internet. I was asking for a quote on the hood insert. Which is relatively flat. I have seen a ton of vids applying this on mirrors motorcycles ect. Apparently its just too complicated for Keokuk Iowa.

I do like the idea though.

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The CF is just a version of vinyl wrap and it can be wrapped around curved surfaces. If you want the CF, I would just buy a sheet of vinyl and wrap the insert yourself, it's not terribly difficult.

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Originally Posted by VXorado

The CF is just a version of vinyl wrap and it can be wrapped around curved surfaces. If you want the CF, I would just buy a sheet of vinyl and wrap the insert yourself, it's not terribly difficult.

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I know, right :yesgray:.

As to doing it myself. I just keep having visions of trying to apply the screen protector for my phone and getting the bubbles out while aligning it correctly. Apparently I have some type of genetic mental defect that precludes me from completing this task. I dont know who I am kidding. I couldn't properly wrap a present if my life depended on it.

My Wheel store hooked me up with a full set of the black nuts (that sounds kinda bad) for 32 bucks. They are going to call me in to rotate my tires and change out the lugs when they arrive.

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Originally Posted by bssage

As to doing it myself. I just keep having visions of trying to apply the screen protector for my phone and getting the bubbles out while aligning it correctly. Apparently I have some type of genetic mental defect that precludes me from completing this task. I dont know who I am kidding. I couldn't properly wrap a present if my life depended on it.

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ROFL - I know what you mean.:)

Actually, the bubbles are less of a problem than you think. Since the CF is opaque, you don't see them.

I got to (had to) apply new decals on one of my SeaDoos a few years back. They were relatively large vinyl like the CF sheet you're considering. A few knicks with a razor blade on the larger bubbles and leave it out in the sun for a day ... like magic, no more bubbles.

IRT your black nuts ... I have no response to that.

I just did the carbon fiber wrap on my hood insert. I took it off of the car to do it. It looks better than it was, but there is a few minor wrinkle spots if you look hard enough. I would say get someone to help you. There was several times when I needed a few more arms and hands. I am sure that if you know what you are doing it is an easy job(too bad that wasn't me).
Mike