New pics of the Imp SS
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 106
Likes: 0
From: Jesup, GA
New pics of the Imp SS Here some shots of a few things I recently finished up.. still got alot more to go but she is gettin there.
Had a small run-in with a chain link fence, which btw totally destroys paint and gouges straight to bare metal.. ugh. Got a fresh paint job and happened to go check the progress before they put the badges back on and though it looked clean w/o em so jus had em leave it like that.
I had my tails completely tinted but after getting a ticket and not wanting to go back to the stock look this is what I came up with.
Shaved the dash, painted black, added the chrome SS emblem and then cleared over the whole thing. Still need to finish the door trim and the piece around the shifter.
I know this looks like a mess right now lol, im about half way done with the passenger side... working on filling all the dead spaces around the wheel well/deck/trunk lid area with spray foam before I finish lining everything with deadening mat.
Had a small run-in with a chain link fence, which btw totally destroys paint and gouges straight to bare metal.. ugh. Got a fresh paint job and happened to go check the progress before they put the badges back on and though it looked clean w/o em so jus had em leave it like that.
I had my tails completely tinted but after getting a ticket and not wanting to go back to the stock look this is what I came up with.
Shaved the dash, painted black, added the chrome SS emblem and then cleared over the whole thing. Still need to finish the door trim and the piece around the shifter.
I know this looks like a mess right now lol, im about half way done with the passenger side... working on filling all the dead spaces around the wheel well/deck/trunk lid area with spray foam before I finish lining everything with deadening mat.
Last edited by critical.in.ga; Apr 16, 2012 at 11:06 PM.
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 106
Likes: 0
From: Jesup, GA
Hmm... Great Stuff foam is closed cell so it makes a waterproof seal so I shouldn't have any moisture problems as well as being no bare metal so I'm not sure how rust could be an issue...? Please explain.
You are correct it is closed cell foam and it won't retain water, however as the metal around it gets hot and cold in the Georgia weather we live in the moisture will build up between the steel and foam. Even though the body of a car is sealed from the factory by dipping it in e- coat it doesn't always get in between the pinch welds, so now since you put foam in the open cavities the moisture has no way to evaporate quickly so it will collect in the pinchwelds and mildew over time and eventually rot the metal, which will happen just a matter of when.
You are correct it is closed cell foam and it won't retain water, however as the metal around it gets hot and cold in the Georgia weather we live in the moisture will build up between the steel and foam. Even though the body of a car is sealed from the factory by dipping it in e- coat it doesn't always get in between the pinch welds, so now since you put foam in the open cavities the moisture has no way to evaporate quickly so it will collect in the pinchwelds and mildew over time and eventually rot the metal, which will happen just a matter of when.
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 106
Likes: 0
From: Jesup, GA
You do know that most high end vehicles are filled with foam right? Alot of racers fill their frame rails with foam to stiffen the chassis. And when I was tearing apart the interior there is foam from the factory inside alot of the body panels. The car has been to several shows and got nothing but compliments on how nice the car looks, so to each his own u ***. Whats up with this forum and no one saying **** unless its negative?
Trending Topics
As for the foam.. I don't know. I really like the blacked out trim and the front grill but I don't like the wheels. My .02. You don't see SS's much so I like it regardless because I know there is a lot of people who probably get wrecked and have no idea what hit em!
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
Topdon ONE vs. Artidiag 800 BT2: Which is the Diagnostic Tablet For You?
Pouria Savadkouei
Gas Monkey Built a 6-Wheel Ferrari Testarossa With a Corvette LT4 Engine
Verdad Gallardo
7 Most Reliable High-Performance Engines GM Has Ever Built
Verdad Gallardo
Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin
Verdad Gallardo
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo You do know that most high end vehicles are filled with foam right? Alot of racers fill their frame rails with foam to stiffen the chassis. And when I was tearing apart the interior there is foam from the factory inside alot of the body panels. The car has been to several shows and got nothing but compliments on how nice the car looks, so to each his own u ***. Whats up with this forum and no one saying **** unless its negative?
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 106
Likes: 0
From: Jesup, GA
Thanks guys for the comments guys! As for the wheels, I wish I could afford some iForged! But these cheapo ebay msr wheels will do for now lol, its lowered 4"/5" and with the stock SS wheels it looked terrible. Just curious what about the wheels is a no go?
Im thinking about taking out the foam and spraying some of that rubberized undercoating/sound deadener rattle can stuff and then redo the foam. This should hopefully take care of any corrosion issues... I just wish I would have thought of that before I sprayed like 20 cans into the car haha.
I cant remember where I read the article but some shop did a test where they jacked up the front corner of the vehicle prior to filling the rails with foam, measured the flex and then measured again after filling with the foam and there was like a 30% decrease in flex.. pretty minimal but in certain applications im sure anything helps!
Im thinking about taking out the foam and spraying some of that rubberized undercoating/sound deadener rattle can stuff and then redo the foam. This should hopefully take care of any corrosion issues... I just wish I would have thought of that before I sprayed like 20 cans into the car haha.
I cant remember where I read the article but some shop did a test where they jacked up the front corner of the vehicle prior to filling the rails with foam, measured the flex and then measured again after filling with the foam and there was like a 30% decrease in flex.. pretty minimal but in certain applications im sure anything helps!
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 106
Likes: 0
From: Jesup, GA
I think that the head lights ruin the front end on the LS4 cars cuz they are imo, way to big and gaudy looking. So the eyelid was my attempt at making them appear smaller and giving them a more "sinister" look from the front, I had a real hard time trying to figure out how to run the lines though because of the way the head lights wrap around the corner of the car.. If I could figure out (or get some input besides "its ugly, its hideous" -which was my point) how to run the lines to make it transition into the car better I would most def redo them.
I appreciate your input though.
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 106
Likes: 0
From: Jesup, GA
As for the foam.. I don't know. I really like the blacked out trim and the front grill but I don't like the wheels. My .02. You don't see SS's much so I like it regardless because I know there is a lot of people who probably get wrecked and have no idea what hit em!
I drove a rental LTZ impala that was loaded up and that thing was fast, I swear to God I destroyed a N/A Porsche in San Diego on vacation. I almost died laughing when the guy did the ricer fly by looking all pissed off, right before my wife punched me.
I would delete the eyelids and just do a lite tint on the entire housing. As for the SS wheels, I would have kept them, they were the 10 spokes right?
I would delete the eyelids and just do a lite tint on the entire housing. As for the SS wheels, I would have kept them, they were the 10 spokes right?
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 106
Likes: 0
From: Jesup, GA
I drove a rental LTZ impala that was loaded up and that thing was fast, I swear to God I destroyed a N/A Porsche in San Diego on vacation. I almost died laughing when the guy did the ricer fly by looking all pissed off, right before my wife punched me.
I would delete the eyelids and just do a lite tint on the entire housing. As for the SS wheels, I would have kept them, they were the 10 spokes right?
I would delete the eyelids and just do a lite tint on the entire housing. As for the SS wheels, I would have kept them, they were the 10 spokes right?
I like the tint idea.. is that legal though?
Here's a pic after the drop and before the wheels, factory SS wheels.
Not sure about the legality but I see it all the time. I wouldn't black them out, just tint them slightly. Also, these are the stock impala wheels I like. Look better in person IMO. I see what you are talking about with the SS wheels though, not a fan. Didn't look good on the cobalt either.
Lol! I know how that goes, havin the wife in the car yelling the whole time.. thank God the exhaust droned out her voice for the most part. She is gone now though so I don't have to worry about that nonsense anymore!!
I like the tint idea.. is that legal though?
Here's a pic after the drop and before the wheels, factory SS wheels.
I like the tint idea.. is that legal though?
Here's a pic after the drop and before the wheels, factory SS wheels.
Not saying your car looks bad, just looks like a little better procedure needs done for customizing it. The guys probably don't like the rims, because no one here likes "big" rims. To each there own. All in all the car looks good! As long as you like it, that's all that matters.
For god Sake please don't spray that stuff to stiffen up the ride, they have aftermarket suspension parts to do that. That is insane, if that ain't the cheap route, I don't know what is. Good luck with your project
