I never had Cragars on any of my cars, and agree that they were nothing special back then, just symbolic now. I recall the gold spoke version and thought they looked cool on black Transams with the gold bird. I liked Keystone Classics as well as those were my favorite wheels next to centerlines when I was building model cars. Not sure why 15" wheels were considered large back then, but most cars came with 14". Those are Nissan Versa wheels today.

We had a speed shop called Speed Unlimited in the neighborhood I grew up in....I spend so much time in there and spend most of my paycheck there as well. Speed shops took the same path as record stores. And the JC Whitney Catalog. I used to thumb through that thing for hours.

On our Impalas, were ran staggered Corvette Rally Wheels, and on my Chevelle, Centerlines. However, Keystones were a close second since they looked similar to the Chevy SS wheels that came on a Chevelle.

 

OK, this is the exact opposite end of options I've been researching. It's a $10 roll of vinyl.

To test it out, this evening I wrapped a 12" section without any prep, and compared it to the intake mid-pipes. Finish-wise, it's a 95% match to the intakes, which are electroplated Black Chrome. However, if you know what you're looking at when you look at finishes, a wrap is clearly a wrap. In any event, I have it to play with at my leisure, so I'm going to try and wrap the bar tomorrow properly, with cleaning, heat, an edge and some gloves.

My sample this evening really surprised me at how good it looked.

 

I just finished vinyl wrapping the FSTB. It meant leaving the end-caps un-wrapped up to where the bar meets the tig-weld. Of course, it's not perfect. There's a stretch blemish in one spot, and a scuff mark in another. But overall, it looks good. Really, really good. And particularly when back on the car. I'm kind of dumbfounded. This is not what I expected to think.

So I don't know if I'll keep it this way, or if I'll strip it all off and use my powder coater. Maybe that will be winter project. For now, it's a keeper. At the very least, it proves to my eye that this bar needs a black chrome finish, however that's achieved.

 

That does look excellent.

Did your engine cover emblem ever fall off? If not, that's brag worthy

Found mine lodged near the coolant reservoir, haven't really looked into which type of adhesive would stick it back on there for good. And I'd also like to paint that middle part like yours

 

Back before I swapped to the OEM JDM cover (where the Nissan "hamburger" emblem is metal and attached with thick tabs) I used JBWeld to adhere the Fuji to the cover. Granted it has been years and the cover has been sitting in storage but the emblem is still attached. The Fuji has small plastic pins that ultimately break. Applying small dabs where the missing pins attach and you would never know the Fuji has been touched.

 

Thanks. No, I never lost the Fuji. A few years back I took some proactive measures, but can't recall if I removed it and reglued, or just took a hot iron to the pegs on the backside, and slathered them with apoxy.

Over the years, there have been a few people & businesses who make raised plates that fit into the section with the Fuji. If you lose yours, you might have options.

 

Liquid Nails is your friend.

 

Getting our kids on their own Auto Insurance, and off our cars as registered drivers, just saved us about three grand annual.

Anybody with teens or young adults at home all mixed up in your cars and insurance... you've got this to look forward to someday.

 

I've seen my 13 year old drive (MarioKart) and I'm not hopeful.

Anyone know where I can buy a cheap MRAP for her first car?

 

Let's go! Happy on the finance side, a little sad on the evolution front. Where does the time go?

My daughter moved out and has been on her own insurance for the last two years (I set her up with USAA), so a small savings. However, my youngest son is 15.5 years old, so a short lived financial reprieve for me.

 

Introducing one of the most reliable and least expensive cars to insure with teens. I also think mini trucks are kinda unique and cool and this version of the Ranger was made for a decade, so parts are plentiful and the 4cyl Mazda based engine is a horse.

Essentially a 2 seater (i.e. limit the number of friends they can drive around) that is not a sports car. Because many use these for work, actuary friendly and low risk on insurance. Life Hack I discovered by accident as I wanted something simple and cool for my older son, but Jeeps and VW bugs were either expensive or ultra unreliable. I had visions of lowering the truck, but my son turned it into a beachmobile with a camper top and rasta stickers.

 

Good to know - my best friend had a Mazda B2500 for years that was essentially the same truck. Super reliable. Changing spark plugs was a pain though - 8 plugs on a 4cyl.

 

I've come to the conclusion that these things are practically indestructible. My 1999, 250K miles, 3L-V6, 5MT, keeps on chugging. (Not the original owner mind you, but all the same).

 

Looks really nice!

 

Thanks! Days later, and I'm still excited for how well this turned out. So very unexpected.