u/DrC51Si

Making me feel like a mini cooper owner all of the sudden. Anybody want to guess what part this used to be? 🤔

For a 20yr old car with 250k miles, I am truly impressed in how well Toyota’s paint held up considering the car has more than likely never been routinely polished. Meguier’s m105, m205 and finished up with HD cleaner/wax just for the flat surfaces. Polished up nicely.

Got most of the mechanical issues resolved in the GS300 so finally in to my favorite part of any project. The cleaning up the paint… started today with m205 and cleaner pad on da. Cleaned up the white parking garage scuff marks way better than i had expected. Then tested the quarter panel with clay bar, m105 and a decent wipe down. This car is going to absolutely sparkle when all cleaned up.

The $30 center vent from china finally arrived. Crazy how the engineers at Toyota really made all of their stuff modular. Remove some trim, 2 screws, 4 bolts and voila. Pull and replace sun baked missing pieces bent replaced. Crazy how the simple things just help ease your mind.

It appears the car is no longer leaking oil profusely so gave the engine a purple power bath, scrub and put it all back together. Next up, on the quick-Jack, fix the exhaust leak at cat/exhaust and pull the wheels to sand/paint.

With the factory seats in such a sad state and the absolute garbage covers that were in place… i decided to spend $120 on some better than garbage covers. Ended up removing the seats to clean under them, pull all the trim to clean the plastics and electrics. They aren’t the best fit but seem to stay in place nicely. A way better look than all the duct tape.

The latest update is I’ve replaced the CDI(hotter running), voltage regulator and stator. I’ve drilled out the main jet ever so slightly so help smooth out the throttle response at higher revs. Debating on just ordering a ‘big bore’ kit and see how much this pos can go before blowing up. Bent wheels replaced. Long story but apparently a ‘front wheel for TaoTao DB10’ can be perceived as a rear wheel drum wheel but just a different part number? So learned how to swap hub/spokes and straighten a rim.

So the previous owner of this car stated they sent the car thru Mike’s twice in the seven years they owned it… felt incredibly satisfying to polish the lenses and give it its 1st hand wash! The paint was so gritty. It will get washed again, then ironX treatment, then clay bar’d, polished and ceramic coated. Wheels got a couple rounds of wire whizzy wheel for paint prep.

It appears the just adding oil when needed and filter changes every 5k seems to have kept the top of engine somewhat tidy…

Gaskets should be here tomorrow.

Finally got our schedules aligned and went and picked up this 2006 GS300 AWD loaded ride for stupid cheap. It’s leaking out from the valve cover gaskets like no tomorrow. Ordered genuine Toyota replacement gaskets that should be here this afternoon to pick up. Drives so smoothly. Needs a ton of tlc. Anybody have suggestions on replacement front seat covers? Started looking for 2006-2011 parts cars local so we have choices.
*updated gs400 to gs300. Sorry about that.

Has(Had?) anybody seen this at their local Taco Bell stores? Supposed to be available months ago but haven’t seen it locally or anywhere I have traveled to. Starting to think they should have called it ‘Baja Midnight Unicorn ZS’…

Wishing I could add some zero Purple Thunder…

Neighbors put this out to trash. I can’t say no to a challenge so talked to them about it and rolled it back home. They had just bought it for their kid this past Christmas and he rode it like he stole it daily but it seems that the axle tensioners had gotten loose so chain came off and destroyed the stator and sprocket covers. Ordered the covers and beefier tensioners for cheap. Removed all the stickers, cleaned up and painted the rusted pipe. It’s nothing like the Yamaha DT100, but it’s easier to ride so I can have more entertainment having my friends and their kids out riding. Only consistent issue is the headset bearings. They are the biggest pos design I’ve ever seen. Debating on buying real bearings and cutting a pipe to keep them at top and bottom so the steering isn’t so wonky.

No warnings other than this screen on my iPhone.
Had to unpair current pump/BT and repair. No updates applied recently. Been on 6.62 for a while.

Had no idea they were even produced in BMW’s deep green metallic(a43)but it looked spectacular! Pictures from my cell don’t do this color justice that’s for sure. So hoping the fella who owns it follows this thread because I’ll post the link to the oil cooler cover his ride is missing.