Photo of my toreador '96
- Thread starter sprocket
- Start date
Right on the Mark
Dedicated LVC Member
I don't care what anyone says that red is one of the nicest colors on mk8's. I like my ice car but my red one still looks mean.
Modular97LSC
Dedicated LVC Member
nice snowflakes.....i love the color its my favorite.
Lownslowlsc
Dedicated LVC Member
Looks good, but T. Red looks better on gen2s.
sprocket
Well-Known LVC Member
Thanks! It's pretty clean except for a couple problem areas. Maybe I could get some advice on what to do.
For a start the rims aren't nearly as nice as they look in the picture. They have a lot of blems.
#2 is that the rockers are rusting. Except for one spot on the rear of the passenger side the rust is not through. For the most part it looks repairable by just sanding and painting. Of course I'm no expert. I was hoping maybe I could find someone who does body work on the side. I can't spend much and it doesn't have to be perfect because it is not in a real visible area. Maybe I can do it myself, but I've never done bodywork or paint and don't want to butcher it.
#3 is that the clear is peeling on the front bumper. The rear bumper is perfect.
There's also several misc dings but I can live with those. Also, I have no idea what is behind those chrome side panels but I don't think they are stock. Assume the previous owner installed them to cover rust. Actually they worry me more than anything because I fear that what is behind there is a disaster waiting to happen.
Really though, the car in person looks better than the picture, at least as far as the shine of the paint. I spent about 8 hours buffing the clear coat. That was actually risky because I didn't really know what I was doing but it came out really good. I did f'up one spot. I thought I could get a scratch out on the driver's fender and I sanded right through the clear and left a quarter size spot of bare paint. I would like to fix that too, but don't want to make it look worse.
One last thing. The hood is a different color! The hood is off a '93 and is either garnet or cranberry. I'm not sure which. No one ever notices. I did get several scratches out of the hood which made me overconfident. Then I botched the fender.
For a start the rims aren't nearly as nice as they look in the picture. They have a lot of blems.
#2 is that the rockers are rusting. Except for one spot on the rear of the passenger side the rust is not through. For the most part it looks repairable by just sanding and painting. Of course I'm no expert. I was hoping maybe I could find someone who does body work on the side. I can't spend much and it doesn't have to be perfect because it is not in a real visible area. Maybe I can do it myself, but I've never done bodywork or paint and don't want to butcher it.
#3 is that the clear is peeling on the front bumper. The rear bumper is perfect.
There's also several misc dings but I can live with those. Also, I have no idea what is behind those chrome side panels but I don't think they are stock. Assume the previous owner installed them to cover rust. Actually they worry me more than anything because I fear that what is behind there is a disaster waiting to happen.
Really though, the car in person looks better than the picture, at least as far as the shine of the paint. I spent about 8 hours buffing the clear coat. That was actually risky because I didn't really know what I was doing but it came out really good. I did f'up one spot. I thought I could get a scratch out on the driver's fender and I sanded right through the clear and left a quarter size spot of bare paint. I would like to fix that too, but don't want to make it look worse.
One last thing. The hood is a different color! The hood is off a '93 and is either garnet or cranberry. I'm not sure which. No one ever notices. I did get several scratches out of the hood which made me overconfident. Then I botched the fender.
ONLYTONY
Dedicated LVC Member
I bought a 98 with those chrome strips on it. A heat gun, plastic puddy knife, pliers, good gloves (hot stuff) and time will get that chrome off. I made a few small bo bo's in the paint that touched up real easy. If you have rust below the strips, I'd just paint over them. They are made of HD stainless steel. Take them to the scrap yard $$$$$$
thaywood
Dedicated LVC Member
Nice car. Looks just like the '96 I used to have. Except for the chrome lower bodyside stuff 
sprocket
Well-Known LVC Member
I don't mind the look of the chrome; I'm just concerned about what might be under them. If I like them should I still take them off or just take my chances? I'm thinking that painting the rockers without removing them would not require any paint blending. Just fix the rust and paint just those zones.
The area that those chrome things cover generally doesn't rust..I don't know why it would at least..the door is easy to tell just look at the bottom inside of the door and see if there's any rust holes through the door skin..if not there shouldn't be a problem..if there was rust on the rear lower 1/4 panel it would bubble and push that chrome thing away from the body..it also doesn't cover the rocker panel so if there's no rust at that seam where the rocker meets the 1/4 then there probably won't be any under the chrome. Either way I'd take those things off and if any paint happens to come off just touch it up..those things clutter up the body too much IMO.
slowmkviii
Dedicated LVC Member
Good looking car
I don't like chrome panels either but that's just my opinion.
I don't like chrome panels either but that's just my opinion.
thaywood
Dedicated LVC Member
The guy that bought my '96 put chrome fender lips on it.:Bang