LCR light weight edition, Getting broken up

[J@mes W]

Good work Willie, i love your eye for detail. A lot of love and effort has gone into this car. It really is a credit to you.

I plan on getting more hands on with my new car, instead of paying someone to do things i'll use the money i would spend on paying them to do it on tools so i can do it my self... thats the plan anywhere.

 

[Ape]

Its a good plan is that, more rewarding as well bud. I use a friends garage for anything I can't do on the driveway, otherwise I love getting stuck in

 

[Willie]

Good work Willie, i love your eye for detail. A lot of love and effort has gone into this car. It really is a credit to you.

I plan on getting more hands on with my new car, instead of paying someone to do things i'll use the money i would spend on paying them to do it on tools so i can do it my self... thats the plan anywhere.

That's exactly what I did.
£150 of tooling will do a whole heap of stuff to your car.

 

[RobDon]

Top work you're doing there Willie. I'm the same, weather stops me from doing alot - I wish I had a garage! I have a few jobs I want to do too but I'm waiting 'til the weather improves.

 

[Willie]

Top work you're doing there Willie. I'm the same, weather stops me from doing alot - I wish I had a garage! I have a few jobs I want to do too but I'm waiting 'til the weather improves.

Cheers Rob, mine be worth taking your side skirts off and having a look in there to see all is well with yours too.
A garage would transform my life.
It takes a better mechanic to manage to do all these jobs in open air with no ramps

 

[RobDon]

Yeah I will be doing a rust check soon, got new polybushed wishbones to fit, new trackrod ends, etc., paint the brakes and rear poly bushes too.

Better mechanic yes ... I rebuilt my engine on my driveway in the open air!

 

[Willie]

Yeah I will be doing a rust check soon, got new polybushed wishbones to fit, new trackrod ends, etc., paint the brakes and rear poly bushes too.

Better mechanic yes ... I rebuilt my engine on my driveway in the open air!

Rob, that's some going like, respect.

So yesterday was about getting the wheel arch liners in, spraying the sills and getting the rear end finished off to allow the rear brakes to be bled.

The coilovers were checked and were still at there original settings.
I did think about going nuts and putting some super stiff settings into them but TBH I have had really good handling out of this set up. But the urge did get too great and make them one click top and bottom more stiff

There still in good shape so no need to get these serviced this year.

Next years list of mods is already being formed in my head so they might make it onto this list depending on spare cash/time and effort. Also was eyeing up the rear beam but that will also be left till next year.

The top mounts have done little work so thought I'd reuse these too. The mounting bolts were a little slack so snugged these up good. I was feeling a bit of nervousness in the rear but hopefully this and the brake rebuild will sort this out.

The day improved from its frosty start so managed to get the sills painted black.

I'm thinking about undersealing the sills to be sure the rust isn't an issue again but due to the snow and cold temperatures were getting just now that might be a job for RON.

With the wheels back on I'll bleed the brake system of air out the rear bleed nipples then get cracking with the front end.

This will consist initially of stripping out the suspension and the offside caliper, replacing the caliper with the spare one I have still to reseal. The top mounts and bearing will get changed for OEM pieces. Apart from adjustable top mounts I haven't really seen another set up I'd be happy with so OEM for now.

Once the suspension is done and I've returned from Africa, then it'll be onto the engine bay.

 

[Ape]

Good progress bud, you've made me nervous about my sills now.

 

[Willie]

Good progress bud, you've made me nervous about my sills now.

TBH I was super surprised at the state of them, but really glad I've got a proactive mind rather than reactive.
Its a quick and easy check and quick and easy to rectify just now.
Recon you could do both sides and the wheel arches in a day in a garage start to finish

 

[dav]

Top work willie I have yet to see this thing in the flesh bar the RR. Fair play for doing it on that hobby jack too!!!

 

[Willie]

The most difficult one was doing the DP swap out myself with the car 1" from my nose.

I had a WTF am I doing moment when I was using a 4" grinder with no guard, no face mask and cutting towards myself with my eyes shut sparks and **** going into my face.

The HSE would have had a feel day!!

 

[dav]

If you ever need a better back bud give me a shout! I have a big aluminium 2t jack and a beast of a low entry jack at 3t. Both go high too...

 

[Willie]

If you ever need a better back bud give me a shout! I have a big aluminium 2t jack and a beast of a low entry jack at 3t. Both go high too...

Sounds like a plan, might come and get a shot for raising the front end as doing quite a bit there and will be up for a while too.
Cheers min

 

[dav]

You will need the audi beast to get them as they are proper jacks but al knows where I am if not I will meet you with them. I will give you both then both just put the whole front up in one go! Then just stands for safety! Job done!

 

[Willie]

Plan!!!!

 

[csd_19]

Cheers min, finding more rust, you'd better have a closer look of yours too

Erm aye I'll maybe do that at some point this year, need to replace one of the rear arch liners after ripping the mudflap clean aff in the snow lol.

I'll add it to the list, already got about £1k+ of bits in mind lol

 

[Willie]

Erm aye I'll maybe do that at some point this year, need to replace one of the rear arch liners after ripping the mudflap clean aff in the snow lol.

I'll add it to the list, already got about £1k+ of bits in mind lol

Yup, I decided that all the extra performance bit will be on hold till next year.
This years for maintenance and preservation, next year for more stiffness and handling mods.
Rust only gets worse and the cost of the timing belt going was stupid to ignore.
Same with the OEM oil pump, not worth the risk.

 

[Willie]

Well yesterday was a right off due to the weather, but made a cracking Stick Toffee Pudding so all was not lost

Today, as the snow has pretty much gone and its dry over head I got cracking, more on the cracking later

So got the rear end down on the ground and wheels tightened up. I never leave anything slack, its either tight or off. I have learned from mistakes in the past and have a really rubbish memory.

So time for the front end
Got it wheels slackened, lifted up the front end, removed the wheels and had a look at what I was up against.
TBH everything was looking good, non of the bushes are perished and the discs and pads have a good few track days left in them.
One thing I did notice was the GSF drop link boots were totally ripped open. These have only been on the car for about 2 years, so lessons learned again there. The OEM ones were fine after 6 years.
So these will be changed out, does anyone know of a uprated part to replace these??
If not I'll be happy with OEM ones.
So, onto the the breaking part of the story!!
The allen key head on the Brembo calipers is 10mm, I have a multi bit set made by Qualtec which seemed to be alright but sheared this 10mm bit today. I've been intouch with the supplier and will go in today to get this changed out.

More to follow

 

[8bit]

If I'd known you were making home-made sticky toffee pudding i'd have come round and sorted your car out in the snow for you for a bowl of that! Mmmmm....

 

[Willie]

If I'd known you were making home-made sticky toffee pudding i'd have come round and sorted your car out in the snow for you for a bowl of that! Mmmmm....

LOL, there's still time, half a dish left