75 replies to this topic

[Ricky2772]

great guide Steve!! cheers .....folks, if you try this at home, be very mindful about WASHERS's number AND position..... very easy to loose or forget one, and that might lead to a nightmarish misaligned shell !! (body shop did it, and I took'em out of trouble.... )

[vx220turbo]

Steve, Fantastic job. Even I think I can have a go at that. I have a few rattles and bangs and think mine will be off just so I can tighten everything up under there. One observation. In the first picture the 'V' was Silver. Mid way through the process it had turned red. Was the car just embarassed at being undresssed or did you do a quick respray ? Well done and thanks for taking the time to document it so well.

[Steve Crisp]

Ah, You've seen one of the reasons I took it off! I had a spare V colour coded when I had the front resprayed, so I wanted to fit that. I also had some VXT dampers and springs to fit, and also like you, I wanted to check things over thoroughly as well. I had previously noted that some of the front clam screws had started to seize up, so it also seemed a good idea to sort this out now rather than later! Steve

[Steve Crisp]

It seems a shame to lose this guide at the bottom of the pile! Steve

[Ricky2772]

yep, I'll need a refresher very soon, after my last track day of the season, this coming sunday, I'll take the speedy to a fiberglass specialist and get it fixed AND lightened... and I'll be the one in charge of removing the clams... also, a nice rear carbon wing will find place on the boot...

Edited by Ricky2772, 20 November 2003 - 10:33 PM.

[Ricky2772]

next tuesday I will start the removal of the clams, both front AND rear... to speed-up and cheapen down a bit the final bill (....while having some learning fun... ) I will do the removal part....while the artisan will do all the fixing/replacing.... a small carbon-fiber wing is being planned....and a lightweight front bonnet as well..... Steve, did you do already the "rear shell removal guide" ? ..if not, I might come up with one, while going through it for the second time...

[clipping_point]

Ricky, have you got any price indication from the fibreglass firm. The price for a front clam in Italy, for instance?

[Ricky2772]

Ricky, have you got any price indication from the fibreglass firm. The price for a front clam in Italy, for instance?

it turned out too friggin' expensive....
to make the mould it would roughly be 3000 euros EACH clam, plus the cost of the clam itself that would vary, wheather carbon or f.glass are chosen..... (another 1500/3000 euros each i'd assume)

what are the costs in sweden?

[clipping_point]

Dunno, but "dude" may come up with some prices in his race car project. "lightweight front bonnet " sounds interesting, what's the concept?

[Ricky2772]

concept is simple...make it as light as possible... either make it in carbonfiber, about 1000 euros, of home-made in lexan, no more hinge but 4 rally studs, just as light, not as good looking I'm sure, but for pennies tho'...

[RAB2000]

Fitted a steinmetz today, so front clam off job - thanks for the advice here and from others: Few thoughts: - I took the bonnet off just to get it out the way, seemed like a good idea and wasnt too bad to put back on. - Managed to remove clam and put back on with no assistance, be careful though! - Didn't take wheels off, or wheel arch liners and didnt raise the car in anyway, this seemed fine. - looking back, its easier to remove the indicator electrics after removing the 4 (2 each side) screws behind the doors. You can then access the electics by pulling out the clam. - Undertray screws were difficult to get back in again, it helped me to use a thin rod to check where the hole was to start with. - Dad suggested using one of those bendy bedroom desk lamps to see screws etc, this was helpful. - be careful not to drop any screws!!! All in all a great guide above, just take your time and you'll be able to do it (it is fiddly though!!). Rob

[Ratspants]

Having removed my clam today to fit my black V, I'll add to that:

- looking back, its easier to remove the indicator electrics after removing the 4 (2 each side) screws behind the doors.  You can then access the electrics by pulling out the clam.

You can just about reach in when the door is open and pop the indicator out. You can then unplug it from outside the car.

- Undertray screws were difficult to get back in again, it helped me to use a thin rod to check where the hole was to start with.

Agreed, these took a fewminutes but was straightforward enough once i'd used a bent paper-clip to find the holes.

- be careful not to drop any screws!!!

I can't agree with this enough. I dropped the VERY LAST bolt and it fell into the car. I had to take the entire thing apart again to get it out Not impressed.

Ben

[RAB2000]

Let's just say i lost a bolt to the car - luckily found something suitable to replace, went down the side of the radiator, it was one of those screws that the bonnet closes on with the black rubber cover, went straight down under that. Even with the clam off couldnt find it!

[oblomov]

Excellent guide Steve

[Anarchy]

You make it sound easy, so going to give it a go to swap my radiator. Just not looking forward to the rusty bolts/screws.

[Duncan]

My 2p If you take the bonnet off when doing this remove the wheel nut key first and put in safe place. That way if the bonnet catch jams because something isn't aligned, you can get to the catch by removing wheel/wheelarch liner. Happened to me and was very glad the key was lying on the garage floor...

[petrolhead1]

Mods - if this isn't already in the sticky 'How to guides' then please can it be added asap. Great piece of work deserves to be kept for posterity IMHO.

[danyeates]

great guide, might be worth replacing the wheel arch liner screws and under tray screws with nice new stainless steel M5 ones and penny washers. Makes it easier to remove them and it looks nicer. Best pic I have, you can see the screw to the right on the arch liner.



and the same machine screws holding on the rear undertray

[ukgulf]

My tip is get the under clam front tray screws in place first when re-assembling... first time I did it I left them to last and they didn't line up. Had to remove most of the bolts again to enable me to line them up properly. I also left the liners in situ... and replaced all bolts with stainless items. Top guide though... thanks.

Edited by ukgulf, 10 July 2008 - 10:22 PM.

[Richy]

12. Prepare an area away from the car to receive the removed clam. Old carpet or some cardboard is ideal.

The picture below is taken through the offside headlamp aperture looking vertically downwards.


There is a 13mm bolt passing through the grey panel (marked “2” in the picture), and into the red fibreglass block (marked “1” in the picture).

Did anyone else have trouble removing this bolt? Mine won't shift at all - i'm abit peevd at what to do, i really don't want to force it incase the fibre glass cracks - any ideas?

Edited by Richy, 22 July 2008 - 01:59 PM.