468 replies to this topic

[Captain Vimes]

As above. Poor choice of words from me... Naca ducts to get cool air in, which helps cool the engine bay. I doubled the number of naca ducts and also vent holes in the clam.

[Captain Vimes]

Time for another project update.

 

So, this years list of jobs are:

 

- Mini suspension refresh (tidy up rusty bits, replace ball joints, new HCB's, GEO)

- Brake refresh (New RS14 pads, New discs, Paint callipers, fresh fluid)

- New Front Tyres - Federal's again but dropping to 45 profile from 50's

- Swap Regal exhaust for Tubby box (for sale thread to follow in a few weeks...)

- Cosmetics.... TBD. Lots I want to do 

 

Post SC conversion bits to sort:

- Fit SC belt guard

- Space charge cooler away from rad & fill in gaps to ensure all air is forced through the rads and not round the edges

- Change the oil breather setup (currently using a catch tank, plan is to keep the tank but move the breather to the very back of the car)

 

 

 

So I have this pile of bits to start with:

 

 

Started on the rear, nearside corner:

 

 

Not the most fun job, but the right tools helped a lot. Some tight bolts:

 

 

Out with the old:

 

 

In with the new (incl. nice new HCB's):

 

 

Tap the HCB threads to allow for correct torque:

 

 

 

Looking better (wishbones coated in hammerite):

 

 

Looking better:

 

 

 

Now there's just the other side to do and the front brakes, and ball joints...

Edited by Captain Vimes, 04 April 2015 - 09:28 AM.

[ArticMonkey]

Looking good. You already got a tubby box and U-bend?

[Captain Vimes]

Yep, tubby box and u-bend have been sitting in the shed for months I've just been waiting for the weather to pick up so I can get started.

[ArticMonkey]

I'll be taking the clam off when doing my exhaust at the end of the month. Along with new heat shield and exhaust wrap.

[Captain Vimes]

More progress....

 

New offside rear ball joints, disc, wheel bearing, HCB's and general painting and cleaning done:

 

 

 

Moved the oil breather right to the back of the car and emptied the catch tank - no oil but lots of stinky water again:

 

 

Plus, I got the Supercharger belt cover on:

 

 

 

Next job - change the exhaust...

[Andrew aka Stuwy]

[Arno]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One red and one silver caliper??

 

Bye, Arno.

[Captain Vimes]

It's a special red paint on the drivers side which creates drag and therefore helps with turn in on clockwise circuits. Watch the group buy section for more details (I can supply at under £100 per can!) (or i realised the high temp silver paint on the near side was rubbish and comes off with brake cleaner)

[Captain Vimes]

So, original list of jobs from start of April is now pretty much done:

 

- Mini suspension refresh (tidy up rusty bits, replace ball joints, new HCB's front and rear)

- Brake refresh (New RS14 front pads, New discs, Paint callipers)

- New Front Tyres - Federal's again but dropping to 45 profile from 50's

- Swap Regal exhaust for Tubby box 

- Fit SC belt guard

- Change the oil breather setup (moved breather to the very back of the car)

+ Added an OEM hardtop

 

Pic from the front now that's done:

 

 

 

I got to drive it today after doing all the work and it feels massively different. Changing the front ball joints has transformed the way the car drives - the steering feel is amazing. It's always had quite heavy steering and having not driven any other vx's I assumed that was how they all were. It feels so nice to drive especially with the dampers backed right off as well, its been a joy to drive around this evening. .

 

A very happy vx owner - I just need to get out and start driving it more now.... except I still have a list of bits to do..

 

- Geo

[color=rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;]- Space charge cooler away from rad & fill in gaps to ensure all air is forced through the rads and not round the edges[/color]

[color=rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;]- MOT is due[/color]

[color=rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;]- Cosmetics interior and exterior[/color]

[color=rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;]- Outer toe link upgrade[/color]

 

[Steve.i.am]

Good stuff. Was thinking of doing the same airflow sealing at the front rads on mine. Wondered also if changing the coolant mix from 50:50 to 75:25 water:antifreeze would be a good idea, or not.

[CHILL Gone DUTCH]

The bypass valve I put In will stop the condensation building up on the catchtank

[Aerodynamic]

I like theses Wheel bearings, they are thick all they way around

and maybe possible to modify easy to 5/100, 5/112 or 5/114.3

So it´s easier to get more Wheels fit.

Where does these wheel bearings come from?

 

I also like the idea using Hammerite coating I´mactually thinking of sand blast my and go for

Hammerite coating instead of powder coating.

 

BR, Per

 

 

 

 

 

Out with the old:

 

 

In with the new (incl. nice new HCB's):

 

 

Tap the HCB threads to allow for correct torque:

 

 

 

Looking better (wishbones coated in hammerite):

 

 

Looking better:

 

 

 

 

Now there's just the other side to do and the front brakes, and ball joints...

 

 

[Captain Vimes]

The bearings are from Eliseparts and manufactured by FAG. I'll let you know how the hammerite on the hub carrier is holding up in 12 months if you're interested. I coated it with plenty of paint and left it to dry for a week so hopefully it'll last a while..

[Captain Vimes]

MOT passed and new passenger driveshaft fitted. 

 

Nearly ready for the national....

[Captain Vimes]

Geo done today. Ride height up from 125/117 to 130/120. It was good to confirm that the rear toe was pretty much spot on as I had previously set it using a 99p laser pen.

Rear toe changed from 1mm to 1.5mm toe in. It took ages to get it all set up and I discovered that my drive is NOT flat despite how it looks. Had to keep moving it to make sure results were consistent. It can go to BoT next time...

[Captain Vimes]

After all the work on the car, it performed perfectly on track at Anglesey. For the first time since fitting the SC I was able to just enjoy driving the car all day long including the 600+ mile round trip and over 100 miles on track.

 

The only actual issue was very minor - the Fez heater was stuck on warm. New part on it's way from Tom should fix that

 

Apart from that, some of the pictures show that the suspension may be a little soft on track. Not sure whether I want to change it though as it was great on the road with the dampers backed right off (my son even managed to fall asleep for 45 minutes of the journey) but it still managed to do a good job on track.

 

Couple of pics. 

 

Leaning like the titanic - I clearly have plenty of droop in the front suspension as it goes from this:

 

To this:-

 

 

Awaiting the fun:

 

[Captain Vimes]

 My project thread wouldn't be complete without a video - a compilation from Anglesey showing the car working really well!

 

[Acidpopstar]

Nice work as always Captain. Rubber trees the world over must fear your name

 

I may have asked you this already but where did you get your dinky rear view mirror?

Edited by Acidpopstar, 31 May 2015 - 01:07 PM.

[Zoobeef]

Those mirrors are from Halfords I think. My old one certainly was.

 

That was one of the first trackdays where the back end hadn't been out at some point throughout the day.

I think that was a mixture of the 888s being at the right pressure and me still not pushing it to the full after my tyre incident!