Hi, new to forum and new to the Magna world.

I'm fast approaching 40 and needed something to do as part of a mid life crisis I guess (missus says I can't run off with a younger bird) so I bought a '97 Magna sedan as a project car yesterday. Problem is, I'm a computer technician, not a mechanic/panel beater/auto electrician but I am armed with a few friends who do all different fields of car work. I am hoping though to do most of the work myself armed with a Gregorys manual, youtube and this forum. Why telling all this? So you understand my why the dumbarse question.

I've looked all over the engine compartment and can not tell if the car is TE or TF. How do I find out? It's a June 97 build, that's all I know :redface:

Compliance plate, its part of the VIN. It will have TE or TF in it, after the 6MM.

Also, 40 is a good age to learn some new skills. It will tale your mind off young bimbos, keep you out of your wife's hair, and get you out into the fresh air (even if it just under your car changing the oil).

As for dumb questions - no such thing, really - its all a learning experience. You might get some dumb ass responses though. lol

Welcome to the madhouse. lol

THANK YOU! It's a TF. One confusion out of the way, 999 to go. One more question for now, what's a good site to order some trims? Need them for the doors and google shows squat.

Door trims, find your local wreckers and hunt around. The standard ones aren't very popular and if that's what you are after, should be some around. The cloth trimmed bit on the door card can be removed and retrimmed with whatever you fancy.

Great, thanks for your help madmax

No worries. If you have any other questions could you post them in the third gen section? Mods get a bit narky about little things like that! lol

Moved

Another quick way to tell is the Speed Alarm was introduced in the TF model.

Which it has. I'd rather the clock than something beeping every time I go too fast. By accident of course. Lucky I set it at 150 hey ;)

Just push both buttons at once and hold, this turns the alarm off

What range is the car, ie exec, advance etc etc, if you dont know, what is the first part of the Vin, up to the numbers at the end and that will say what you have

Altera

Haha I'm a computer tech that drives a 97 TF too :). Keep us posted on your progress with the TF!

You serious? LMFAO!!

until i saw it was an altera i was gonna say i have a full set of trims sitting at home without a purpose. unfortunately you have power windows, In any case welcome to the forums. :)

Cover your own trims.. Nothing like a little DIY..

Bugger, thanks anyway Zahrim. How do I cover my own trims GONE? I'm all for DIY, it's great fun, but didn't know I could do my own trims.

Take the Door Trim off

Then unscrew the fabric trim off

Then you can peel back the material thats on there and replace with thick backing foam and cover in leather or whatever you like really.

Hot Glue or Staple Gun.. Either way..

Then screw it back onto the door trim and put the door trim back on the door!

SuFz

Oh that, yeah sorry, already started on the inner trims. I meant I need the exterior door moulds/trims. But I'm kind of thinking of doing away with them all together, filling the grooves they sit in or using some old ones as a guide to make my own fibreglass ones in a design I have in mind. That or just keep hunting wreckers and swap meets for them.

Nothing but custom available there..

What are you thinking of doing in particular..?

SuFz

Don't quite know yet, still designing which will take me a while (I get really anal about it)

Looked into TL/TW side mouldings?

Yeah I did, they're not too bad hey. Could be a decent option if I can't settle on a design. They'd look better than the stock ones do with skirts.