Nicks Project Hamilton.

[TAR]

The callipers are looking great. Did you split then before getting the powder coating done and how did you stop the coating getting where you don't want it?

[Nick Mann]

Yep, I split them. The masked them off, but having spent a long time this afternoon rebuilding them, I would mask it slightly differently next time. I think I would get some bolts and washers to mask off threads - they put some rolls of greaseproof style paper in, and then unwound them to fill the threads. The problem with that is you get powder coat at the top of the threads which needs removing without damage to the threads to allow things like bleed nipples to be put back in. Also, the dust covers sit in a recess in the caliper around the cylinder. The powder coating closes that up, so while they had masked off the cylinder itself, I have had to spend some time enlarging the recesses to allow the dust covers to sit back in.

Still - I am pleased with the results so far!

[aboo]

The callipers do look fantastic Nick & will go well with he colour of your car Are you going to put new brembo stickers on them or leave them as they are?

[Nick Mann]

Haven't decided on stickers yet, will probably leave them as is.


Well, I have spent today trying to refurb the Teins. They don't want it! I get the feeling I am bullying them into service again.....

First thing was stripping them down so I could attack the green paint. This threw up a problem I hadn't noticed. I didn't get a photo, but I have blown up part of a photo I took yesterday:
IMAG0495crop.jpg


If you look at the left most bolt, you can make out a crack running in a curve up the picture - this had happened on both top plates of the rear struts. A local engineering company I know is making me a couple of new ones, but at £40 each, plus time rebuilding, plus paint, I was starting to think that it might be better to throw them away and start again! Time off work and the amount I am spending already made me carry on with the refurb though.....
The body of the shocks was also bad and has taken me a long time today to clean all four up to this point:
IMAG0498.jpg


So I decided to go with hammered blue hammerite. The metal just wasn't smooth enough to try and get a good painted finish, so that'll have to do. I also gave the forks for the bottom of the front struts a quick hammerite in black:
IMAG0500.jpgIMAG0501.jpg


They need another coat in the morning, plus the front tops need more painting up too:
IMAG0504.jpg



Whilst the paint was drying everywhere I figured I'd give the brake discs a quick clean and paint up the bells a bit to keep it all looking good for the next couple of years:
IMAG0503.jpg




So, tomorrows job is more paint on the coilovers and then clean the underside of the car, I think.

[Mark 4]

Keep going Nick. Looking forward to a lap around the ring in "hammie"

[Nick Mann]

So, today started with giving the teins a second coat of paint. After that a quick trip to the tip to lower the fuel gauge even more and empty my oil receptacles.

Then it was lift the car in the air outside, remove the wheels and arch liners and have a good clean. I am covered in dirt from washing the underside of the car!
I have squirted the hose up under the arches a couple of times during ownership, so it wasn't as bad as some. Still plenty of dirty water running down the drive though!
IMAG0510.jpgIMAG0511.jpg

Then whilst it dried, I started dismantling the car. The rear light bar came off - it collects water so needs re-sealing. The boot interior came out, along with the back seats - hardly any rust to be treated at all, but at least it is preparation for the silent coat.
IMAG0505.jpg

Then the bumper came off along with headlights as I want to change the intercooler too. I then rinsed the car off again, as I spotted some bits I had missed and uncovered bits removing the bumper.
IMAG0514.jpg

Then back into the garage, wheels off again and vital fluids drained, flushing the engine oil as I went. I have decided to keep the current engine in the car for the next year or so, and use VORs engine as a TD04 build. I haven't decided exactly what the build will be yet, but that is for another time.
IMAG0518.jpgIMAG0520.jpg

Finally, now the wheels are off I can drop the refurbed Evo 7's off tomorrow to have the tyres swapped from the 9's. Then I need to work out what colour I am going to go for on the 9's!
IMAG0516.jpg

[The Vee]

Yep. You have seen the list of work to do in the first post?! Shakedown run is the trip to Dover on 23rd May!

Reminds me of the time when I completed the old scud thing. Shake down was the run to SM6 IOW Invasion .

Good thread Nick, like the ongoing commentry - following with interest.

[VR457]

Looking like a job going well. Think i am coming down to lend a hand...or a mouth.....

That rubber material i was going to use for sound deadening is out, i cant lift the bloody roll!

[richy rich]

No engine swop you pansy?
Good work as always Nick look forward to seeing it done.

[adaxo]

Good job Nick, keep the pictures coming!, on the side note, soundproofing the spare wheel area will makes a car definitely run quieter. When I fit my LPG tank I didn't put a little cover back on the tank which cover multi valve and there is about 50mm hole/went for pipes and wiring drilled through floor, the noise from that was unbelievable!!, I can even hear rear brakes hum and water splatter.

[kiteman]

So, today started with giving the teins a second coat of paint. After that a quick trip to the tip to lower the fuel gauge even more and empty my oil receptacles.

Then it was lift the car in the air outside, remove the wheels and arch liners and have a good clean. I am covered in dirt from washing the underside of the car!
I have squirted the hose up under the arches a couple of times during ownership, so it wasn't as bad as some. Still plenty of dirty water running down the drive though!
IMAG0510.jpgIMAG0511.jpg

Then whilst it dried, I started dismantling the car. The rear light bar came off - it collects water so needs re-sealing. The boot interior came out, along with the back seats - hardly any rust to be treated at all, but at least it is preparation for the silent coat.
IMAG0505.jpg

Then the bumper came off along with headlights as I want to change the intercooler too. I then rinsed the car off again, as I spotted some bits I had missed and uncovered bits removing the bumper.
IMAG0514.jpg

Then back into the garage, wheels off again and vital fluids drained, flushing the engine oil as I went. I have decided to keep the current engine in the car for the next year or so, and use VORs engine as a TD04 build. I haven't decided exactly what the build will be yet, but that is for another time.
IMAG0518.jpgIMAG0520.jpg

Finally, now the wheels are off I can drop the refurbed Evo 7's off tomorrow to have the tyres swapped from the 9's. Then I need to work out what colour I am going to go for on the 9's!
IMAG0516.jpg

All that done by lunchtime was it, superman(n) is only trotting behind you.
Great work Nick

[Nick Mann]

Well, yesterday saw me finishing some other jobs, so not much done on the car. The tyres have been swapped to the Evo 7's and I have dropped a couple of things off to the powder coaters again.

Today saw me cracking on with a vengeance, although I have had a slightly early finish due to presence of in-laws. However, I have had a good day - all the brakes are off, the struts and the hub carriers and the upper wishbones. The radiator is out, the exhaust completely off and the transfer box out. The gearbox is about ready to drop which will be the first job on tuesday next week.

Not so many interesting photos today, but here is a front and rear empty arch and some pictures of my bits shelves filling up!

IMAG0523.jpgIMAG0521.jpg

IMAG0524.jpgIMAG0525.jpgIMAG0529.jpg

[kiteman]

Nick, remind us again why you are undertaking such a huge task

[Nick Mann]

I want this car to last a long time. VOR was just getting to a good point power wise and I liked most of the mods I had done to it. But the rust worm was destroying the car fast. So I decided that I was still enjoying VR4 ownership enough to buy another and carry on. I principally wanted a facelift with moonroof in good overall condition, which is what I got. I didn't get manual, indigo blue or recaros though. Recaros have already been added, the manual box is being added over the next two weeks and I will have to live with boring common Hamilton Silver!!

This is mainly a project to underseal the car as thoroughly as I can, to keep it in good condition for a long time, and also install some of the mods I liked from VOR. Hence the list in post 1. I have been promising myself since I bought the car in January 2011 that I would underseal the car and start moving mods accross. Due to more work than normal last year combined with moving house, I did almost nothing to the car last year. So this month is my reward. Only a few days proper work, leaving me nearly three weeks to dismantle and rebuild this car with a Nurburgring trip at the end to celebrate. This is a serious amount of self indulgence, I have never indulged myself quite this much before and so I am making the most of it! Hopefully I'm not irritating anyone who is unable to indulge themselves this much.... So this thread is for a few reasons, hopefully it will be interesting to others but I am using it for myself too as a record or diary of these three weeks. It is also good to hear of others ideas as I am going along - maybe my plans will evolve as I listen to other ideas I hadn't considered?

My aim is an understated VR4 that I have modified to be a very capable GT type of car - rapid and comfortable on long journeys with the family but also able to get round a track well. I don't want it to be too loud or appear to aggressive - that spoils the GT philosophy I am aiming at.

Sorry for all the rambling there, hopefully I haven't bored you all!

[The Vee]

Totally understand all that Nick. Exactly where mine was going, and did, for a while. Lost a little understatement though especially the Evo bonnet. Where I am exceptionally jealous though, is the time thing. I still have so much to do! Still loving the thread - keep it going.......

[kiteman]

I want this car to last a long time. VOR was just getting to a good point power wise and I liked most of the mods I had done to it. But the rust worm was destroying the car fast. So I decided that I was still enjoying VR4 ownership enough to buy another and carry on. I principally wanted a facelift with moonroof in good overall condition, which is what I got. I didn't get manual, indigo blue or recaros though. Recaros have already been added, the manual box is being added over the next two weeks and I will have to live with boring common Hamilton Silver!!

This is mainly a project to underseal the car as thoroughly as I can, to keep it in good condition for a long time, and also install some of the mods I liked from VOR. Hence the list in post 1. I have been promising myself since I bought the car in January 2011 that I would underseal the car and start moving mods accross. Due to more work than normal last year combined with moving house, I did almost nothing to the car last year. So this month is my reward. Only a few days proper work, leaving me nearly three weeks to dismantle and rebuild this car with a Nurburgring trip at the end to celebrate. This is a serious amount of self indulgence, I have never indulged myself quite this much before and so I am making the most of it! Hopefully I'm not irritating anyone who is unable to indulge themselves this much.... So this thread is for a few reasons, hopefully it will be interesting to others but I am using it for myself too as a record or diary of these three weeks. It is also good to hear of others ideas as I am going along - maybe my plans will evolve as I listen to other ideas I hadn't considered?

My aim is an understated VR4 that I have modified to be a very capable GT type of car - rapid and comfortable on long journeys with the family but also able to get round a track well. I don't want it to be too loud or appear to aggressive - that spoils the GT philosophy I am aiming at.

Sorry for all the rambling there, hopefully I haven't bored you all!

Boring, how can a thread like this be boring.
Like Andy, I'm enjoying the tread immensely. I just cant figure how you can get so much work done in such a short space of time.
Keep it up Nick, and update as often as you can.

[MarkSanne]

What they said! Not boring WHAT SO EVER! Keep up the good work and update frequently
As aith Andy, I too have always thought my VR2 should be kept a wolf in sheepsclothing, but my recent thoughts and the things that I have bought & made for it will certainly take it away from that subtle look. Oh well, I still got the bog standard Legnum

[richy rich]

Yep this thread is borring me, Nicks not doing anything he hasn't done for loads of other peaple exept underseal.








only joking Nick I know you have been wanting to do this for years and it has now finaly come about but I am jelous I'd love to have the time and money to do this to WUB.

[exevoowner]

keep up the good work nick

[adaxo]

What a boring thread, close it down please

On the serious side, just to add for anybody who cant explain/understand the difference between fresh imports and uk cars, just look at the state of that wheel arches, car is IIRC 98/99?? and got NO RUST at all, similar to mine (imported in dec 10), all nuts, bolts can be easy undone and parts looks like come straight from factory.
I just went to see Ralliart import yesterday, Wreg for sale, and the state of arches/underbody/front shocks mounting points was just unreal, rust go through body, so even a great looking (outside) and not that old car with leathers and toys will be written off (I supposed) on next MOT time due to HUGE rust issues.


More pictures please (we like pictures)