Your fleet running reports

[Foz]

996 resto compete.

Reassuringly expensive

[DeskJockey]

996 resto compete.

Reassuringly expensive

It was paint and... (suspension was done earlier IIRC). Pictures?

[Rich B]

Why is everyone so coy about sharing details of their cool cars/projects on here?!!?

[duncs500]

Why is everyone so coy about sharing details of their cool cars/projects on here?!!?

Jeez Rich, we've already had too many "you're DIW" flounces... they'll be nobody left!

[Foz]

I don’t collect it until Friday

[Broccers]

Re Boxster rear lights project.

My local bodyshop has managed to get the lense off. Next step is to remove the rest of the flaky red paint from the reflective silver part. Not sure what to paint it with tho - will see what they come up with.

Just added up costs from Nov and we are at £2425.00 which is slightly less than renting a golf (269/month)

Hopefully when the tyres are replaced, the rest of this and next year will be a lot cheaper.

[Matty]

Didn't think anyone would be that interested! Plus with a couple of resident S1 experts, I'm kind of the new kid in town that doesn't know anything.

Get it posted! Plenty of current/ex Lotus owners who are interested and could chip in with a DIY tip or two.

Not me, obviously. That's what I paid other people to do

[duncs500]

Didn't think anyone would be that interested! Plus with a couple of resident S1 experts, I'm kind of the new kid in town that doesn't know anything.

Get it posted! Plenty of current/ex Lotus owners who are interested and could chip in with a DIY tip or two.

Not me, obviously. That's what I paid other people to do

Well at some point I need to sort out the interior fan which doesn't work and the heater controls are very stiff (and obviously relatively useless without the blower). I'd have to remove the dash to sort out the heater controls, and the blower is buried down under the battery somewhere so is apparently a total PITA job where you need to modify a Land Rover one.

Probably something I shouldn't take on myself with my limited skillz, but so far I've found my garage to be a relatively good place to tinker and over the winter I figure I could give it a go if I take my time (might need a heater). I must say, SELOC is an excellent resource so you can go a bit out of your comfort zone knowing that either a tech wiki article or thread will cover it (failing that someone will help you on the technical forum).

[duncs500]

Picture of the old throttle linkage vs the uprated one (and the plate that holds it in place under the dash).



Three hole positions on the new one, I've gone for the middle one which is as standard, supposedly better with more travel for Honda'd cars.

Anyway, we'll see, but I think the whole exercise will improve driving it no end so totally worth it for a couple of hours and £25 or something.

[Matty]

Well at some point I need to sort out the interior fan which doesn't work and the heater controls are very stiff (and obviously relatively useless without the blower). I'd have to remove the dash to sort out the heater controls, and the blower is buried down under the battery somewhere so is apparently a total PITA job where you need to modify a Land Rover one.

Probably something I shouldn't take on myself with my limited skillz, but so far I've found my garage to be a relatively good place to tinker and over the winter I figure I could give it a go if I take my time (might need a heater). I must say, SELOC is an excellent resource so you can go a bit out of your comfort zone knowing that either a tech wiki article or thread will cover it (failing that someone will help you on the technical forum).

Heater controls are a clam off job, IIRC? Usuaully corrodes and needs a new unit. I also had a stiff heater control (!) and was the flappy vent thing caught on some foam, I have skinny girly arms so managed to sort that without removing the clam, but if you've got the space just remove the clam and do both.

Clam removal is easy, even I managed that but it's a two man job once fixing are off.

[duncs500]

Heater controls are a clam off job, IIRC? Usuaully corrodes and needs a new unit. I also had a stiff heater control (!) and was the flappy vent thing caught on some foam, I have skinny girly arms so managed to sort that without removing the clam, but if you've got the space just remove the clam and do both.

Clam removal is easy, even I managed that but it's a two man job once fixing are off.

From what I've read on SELOC it's possible to do the blower motor by taking the battery out and the heater controls the dash off to get to the levers at the back, but you may well be right, or it at least makes it considerably easier with the clam off. I guess if I did that it would be a good time to replace the headlamps too.

[dan]

Heater controls are a clam off job, IIRC? Usuaully corrodes and needs a new unit. I also had a stiff heater control (!) and was the flappy vent thing caught on some foam, I have skinny girly arms so managed to sort that without removing the clam, but if you've got the space just remove the clam and do both.

Clam removal is easy, even I managed that but it's a two man job once fixing are off.

From what I've read on SELOC it's possible to do the blower motor by taking the battery out and the heater controls the dash off to get to the levers at the back, but you may well be right, or it at least makes it considerably easier with the clam off. I guess if I did that it would be a good time to replace the headlamps too.

Taking the clam off won’t make much difference, but it will make it slightly easier as you won’t be leaning over it...I wouldn’t bother unless you really want the clam off though.

[dan]

Why is everyone so coy about sharing details of their cool cars/projects on here?!!?

One of these days I’ll do a proper update on my Elise, it’s been ticking along slowly in the background and is getting much closer to being screwed together.

For those that don’t follow my Instagram account, this week I started prototyping my dual master cylinder bias bar pedal box, which looks like it’s going to work a treat.



I also finished assembling my gearbox some months ago after deciding what diff to put in, I went for a 1 way plate diff, so it’s a proper locking diff but only operates on power, off throttle it’s fully open like a standard diff. Hopefully this will keep it quite friendly although it’ll be noisy as fuck as it’s also got a straight cut crown wheel on it.



Setting pre load and changing ramp angles



Fully assembled



Also when the project started I was using an oem honda crank, since then it’s developed into a billet steel crank which the cad system is telling us is going to end up being 40% lighter. The crank designer needed accurate weights of the rods and pistons and even the bearing shells....these are my very trick 2 ring cosworth pistons



I bought some titanium bolts to hold my clutch to my flywheel





And I’ve had the car 3d scanned so I can redesign my engine mounts.



It’ll be the best thing in the world ever if I finish it

[Rich B]

looks like process is as enjoyable as the actual end product - I remember you're a sucker for a straight cut whine!

[integrale_evo]

(Ex)mini owners love a car that sounds like a Tamiya lunchbox

[duncs500]

Amazing. More... we need more of this.

[Marv]

Why is everyone so coy about sharing details of their cool cars/projects on here?!!?

M3 Bumper/exhaust refurb earlier this year.

Had an advisory on my inspection 2 that the joints for the rear xenon level sensor were seized, so I decided to tackle the job before getting the M3 back on the road after winter.

Sensor and brackets came off easily, but the ball joints were very much seized:



While I was there, I noticed that one of my exhaust clamps was cracked. So off came the exhaust too...and while i was there, the rear bumper too!



(Crack can't be seen in above pic, it was between the two clamps/pipes)



Exhaust rubbers had hardened with age, metal brackets were crusty:



Also noticed one of my rear springs has cracked:



So then begins the refurb! Bumper is taken to my local sprayshop. New clamps, spring, balljoints and arm are ordered.

Exhaust was cleaned up and given a fresh coat of Wurth high temp paint:



New spring and new spring perches were fitted:



New clamps were fitted. New rubber mounts too. Brackets were de-rusted and given a coating of silver paint:





Pipes were polished up:



Brackets were de-rusted, new sensor and balljoints, along with stainless fixings. Silicone grease put in the ball joints to keep water out:



Carbon fibre diffuser came back nice and shiny:



As did the bumper:



All back together:

[Broccers]

Good missions !

[Mito Man]

Very nice to all the above

[Rich B]

Beautiful job Marv.

Those exhaust "clamps" are a joke, they went on mine too unsurprisingly, and the official line is that you have to get a new back section because they're captive on the pipes. I see you have some very flashy clamps now - I found that Peugeot 406 2.0 diesel ones fit!

It's nice working on cars when you have a second car to use - my issue was always having to get it back together ASAP so I could carry on using it, it looks like you guys are getting the time to do a decent job.