130 replies to this topic

[Mangham54]

Cheers! I nearly bought a black w/biscuit, may have been more distinctive!

Saw your pics after I had made the decision, yours really confirmed it for me. I assume your centres had been done properly? Seems to be a bit of a tread for just painting the whole thing.

Looking forward to wrapping the screen soon, should help move away from the black/silver exterior theme.

Yep. The back plates were matching Anthracite, with the griffin glued back onto them. They did look bloody fantastic.

[Thealastair34]

Cool, might keep my eyes out for a spare cap and surround.

I will too, then we can share the spare haha

[RalphyBMW]

Sounds like a plan! I spend over an hour this morning trying to cut trim tape to the back of the griffins, did 1 1/2 but am not completely satisfied with the outcome. I have bought some other centres on eBay which look similar but with a different emblem fitment. I am going to give them a course of looking at before I get them painted.

[RalphyBMW]

Success with the other Vx centres, these have clip on Griffins are are otherwise identical. Hopefully getting them painted over the next week or so to finish off the anthracite wheels.

Another pic...


Very much looking forward to wrapping the screen now, also have some other goodies on the way, more on that later.

Now, just need to remove the lower strut pinch bolts from the 187,000 mile Focus and change its front springs and dampers, and then I can concentrate on the Vx again. Made a start on Sunday afternoon, didn't have a 15mm impact socket so tried a spanner; bolt was so damn stuck that it bent the spanner! Hopefully receiving a 15mm impact socket tomorrow and have given it a good dousing with GT85 over the last couple of days. If I get the Focus sorted then I might even give some of the cars a wash this weekend...

[Thealastair34]

quite like the silver agaist the black i think!

[RalphyBMW]

Lol, tough!

OK, collected some goodies from JCT600 Lotus today;


Lotus coil pack cover - granted it may split opinion but it was £3.80 + VAT, so I thought I would give it a try.


Spare coolant reservoir and cap


Old wiper arm


New wiper arm

I did also get a new MAP sensor, bizarrely Lotus seemed to be the cheapest I could find the genuine Bosch part. Plan to change that when I do my o/s/r HCB's.

Lotus were also the cheapest place for the reservoir and cap, without going aftermarket at least. The DeRoure prices at Lotus list price, JCT600 did me 10% off that, and I was able to collect so no shipping. Parts staff were also very helpful. What was nerve wracking was reversing my steamed up VX among the Approved Used Aston Martins!

[JG]

Success with the other Vx centres, these have clip on Griffins are are otherwise identical. Hopefully getting them painted over the next week or so to finish off the anthracite wheels.

Another pic...


Very much looking forward to wrapping the screen now, also have some other goodies on the way, more on that later.

Now, just need to remove the lower strut pinch bolts from the 187,000 mile Focus and change its front springs and dampers, and then I can concentrate on the Vx again. Made a start on Sunday afternoon, didn't have a 15mm impact socket so tried a spanner; bolt was so damn stuck that it bent the spanner! Hopefully receiving a 15mm impact socket tomorrow and have given it a good dousing with GT85 over the last couple of days. If I get the Focus sorted then I might even give some of the cars a wash this weekend...

leave it like that - looks perfect

[Mangham54]

Lol, tough!

OK, collected some goodies from JCT600 Lotus today;


Lotus coil pack cover - granted it may split opinion but it was £3.80 + VAT, so I thought I would give it a try.


Spare coolant reservoir and cap


Old wiper arm


New wiper arm

I did also get a new MAP sensor, bizarrely Lotus seemed to be the cheapest I could find the genuine Bosch part. Plan to change that when I do my o/s/r HCB's.

Lotus were also the cheapest place for the reservoir and cap, without going aftermarket at least. The DeRoure prices at Lotus list price, JCT600 did me 10% off that, and I was able to collect so no shipping. Parts staff were also very helpful. What was nerve wracking was reversing my steamed up VX among the Approved Used Aston Martins!

Brooklands are good. When I looked at a 111S, the salesman asked me if I had ever driven an Aston. I had done so recently so he offered one of the Fezzas. For some unknown reason I declined a lengthy test drive. I felt like such a dickhead as I drove away from the dealership.

[RalphyBMW]

leave it like that - looks perfect

Thank you! Only exterior plans are to wrap the screen surround and possibly change the filler cap to match the wheels. I may also paint the brake calipers.

Brooklands are good. When I looked at a 111S, the salesman asked me if I had ever driven an Aston. I had done so recently so he offered one of the Fezzas. For some unknown reason I declined a lengthy test drive. I felt like such a dickhead as I drove away from the dealership.

Ha ha, brilliant!

[RalphyBMW]

Nothing exciting to report, lack of a suitably deep ring spanner for the front top suspension nuts on the Focus halted Sunday's progress with that, so instead I decided to fit my new intercooler MAP sensor and O/S/R HCB's. Arch liner removal and refitting went very smoothly! I had considered also swapping the new boost control valve to the rear, but this seemed like a very very awkward job, partially due to the hose clips, so I figured instead that I would just see how things go with the new MAP sensor. The beast did get a quick wash, which makes me happy, if the Focus wasn't taking up the larger garage then I would be trying to get the screen surround wrapped. As things are, that will have to wait. Also quite excited about getting my centre caps back hopefully soon, at which point I will have to whip the wheels off and swap the centres over.

[RalphyBMW]

Nothing exciting but got my centre caps back today. Gave them and the griffins a quick polish with some SRP before reassembly;





Need to get a jack out from under the still immobile Focus so that I can whip the wheels off and swap to the new centres.

[Mangham54]

Looking great.

[RalphyBMW]

Thank you!

[RalphyBMW]

Having abandoned the Focus due to bushes bonding themselves to bolts, I allowed myself a few min to change the centres on the VX;





I am delighted with the colour match, and the look overall. Very keen to wrap the screen asap, but need to work out how to sort out the Focus first to free up the larger garage.

Yes, I am wincing a little at the frost, but it is a rare occurrence for this car to be exposed to it, fingers crossed no ill effects!

[Mangham54]

Looks fantastic. I should be able to spare an hour or two later this aft, if I can be of any use.

[RalphyBMW]

Thanks Chris, not really sure what I am doing next, bought a reciprocating saw last night so hoping to get the old ones chopped out. Little benefit of both of us standing there getting cross with it, but really appreciate the offer. Aside from anything else, having spent most of yesterday cocking about with it, I am not sure I will get a pass out again today!

[Mangham54]

I only have a pass because she is working. Going down to the Swan and Cygnet to meet friends for Brekkie, as they have an 'all you can eat' breakfast for £3.50 and then drop her off atbthe world's most inept shoe shop. I am sure the meat wont be of any readonable standard - but you have to do these things at least once. I am sure I will return to Blacker Hall Farm breakfasts thereafter.

[RalphyBMW]

Some of these pub breakfasts aren't bad; Blacker Hall is great, but more quality than quantity. Nothing wrong with tipping the balance the other way now and again!

[Thealastair34]

What's wrong with the focus?

[RalphyBMW]

Front end is all sorted, new OE shockers with Eibach springs. ended up having to replace the spring plates as you know, along with new top mounts, bearings, gaitors and bump stops. Plan had been to retain the original ancillaries but no way could I get the top nuts off either damper. On the rear, I changed the dampers a month or so ago, OE again, very easy. Given that I was fitting the Eibachs to the front I thought it would be opportune to do the rear at the same time; this is where it all went wrong. Both rear wishbone outer bolts have sheared; bolts fused to the bushes, leaving the wishbones in place and part of the bolt in the captive nut in the knuckle. Got hold of a spare rear subframe which I have been stripping to reuse the knuckles and have encountered similar issues. This has at least given me chance to understand how the subframe is put together and practice before moving under the car later this week. What was only going to be a 115 suspension refresh has become a lot more expensive, and I will have the cambelt to do soon, which will be a new challenge!