Some interior tuning over reading week. I've never liked the leatherette in this car, so this is phase 1 of removing it. Still left to do are the knee pads and door speaker trim.
https://i.imgur.com/JKukixi.jpg?1
https://i.imgur.com/6PEKUMt.jpg?1

Haven't updated in a while so here goes...
Car is in body shop jail at the moment so no new driving or parts install updates. Plan is to pull out the smushed bit, then primer and seal everything so that the car can be wrapped. While this is being done, the windshield is going to be pulled and the roof line rust will be repaired. Since the windshield is coming out, it is getting replaced.

Parts purchased for the rebuild thus far:
-used OEM rear bumper
-used OEM rear crash bar
-Misc. plastics (tail light trim, tail light gaskets, clips, brackets etc)
-Blitz exhaust tip

https://i.imgur.com/M3RohDt.jpg

Friend also gave me Blitz radiator hoses for my birthday a few months back :D. When these go in I'll do a full coolant flush with fresh OEM coolant, and a new OEM thermostat.
https://i.imgur.com/UaMd3dr.jpg

Bodyshop jail updates:
Trunk is pulled out, new bumper is installed. Next is to fix the quarter panel and pull the windshield for the roofline rust to be repaired
https://i.imgur.com/Ek93lck.jpg?1
https://i.imgur.com/5mm3p2e.jpg?1

Also have a metric butt ton of cosmetic mods arriving soon. Excited for some aero, even if it isn't the most functional... more on that later (spoilers in parts list in post 1 ;) )

Poor exhaust tip. Gonna straighten that out a bit or leave it as a battle scar

Like I've said a few times, that's definitely the most upsetting part of this ordeal.
For now, it is staying but replacement tipS are coming. After emailing with Streeter Co, I learned Blitz doesn't sell replacement tips for this catback (riveted). So unfortunately I was left with ordering two new tips (clamp on style), and those should arrive some time next month. :bonk:

https://i.imgur.com/J24aSkl.jpg

That poor poor roofline. I am 100% convinced I did it by careless scrapping. Now I leave abut a 4 inch untouched section out of fear of doing it again!

It was shocking how fast it rusted though Obviously the roof does not receive the same rust resistance as the lower body panels.

I mentioned this theory to the guy fixing it, and he thinks it's a combination of rock chips and the scraping that cause it. Says he sees it pretty often on the high highway km cars that come through his shop.

Well that helps a little.
The Hakone is still chip free up there though.

That is a bummer. I saw a slightly crunched car on instagram, didn't put 2+2 together that it was yours.

I'd run the exhaust tip smashed but that is just me :D

A friend with a 13 also has some pretty bad rust issues from untreated stone chips.
By how you describe highway traffic it's similar to traffic here, I've had to touchup 4-5 stone chips along the roofline since buying mine. They start to rust pretty quickly too.

The couple of chips on the lower body never went beyond some light surface rust. I deliberately left a larger one on the front fender untreated for the 5 years I had the car. It looked like it was a couple of weeks old even after 5 winters. They did a great job of making the panes rust resistant where it needed to be.

That tip is actually the shape I want only upside down!

Just the tip

More updates: roofline rust has been ground down completely and then fixed. Fresh windshield to be installed next. Black Vivvid roof wrap has been ordered from Sean @ Subieland, going to give it a shot wrapping the roof. Still waiting on vinyl samples for the 3M wrap that appears to be a close match to lava (G364). Hopefully it is a good match, I'll probably do that on the rear end. Otherwise, black it is.

https://i.imgur.com/ATtsps0.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/XonmohY.jpg