8bit's Mk1 Leon Cupra R. Scarlett - as in Johansson...

[8bit]

So I think I promised some better photos once the car got a wash. Did that yesterday so went out to take some pics today...

Pretty chuffed with how the R32 rims turned out and the ride height now that the topmounts and springs have had a chance to settle

 

[8bit]

So that was yesterday, today's job was servicing the Forge 008. First thing I did after I got it off the car was clean the side port thoroughly and blow hard into it. No idea how much pressure I generated going blue in the face but it was definitely leaking a little air through the valve and out the bottom.

Old vs. new pistons:

New one has a nice little rubber seal on the piston seat. I asked Forge what it was made of, was worried it might break down with the oily vapours from the PCV system but I'm told it's made of Viton which is resistant to oil so should be safe enough.

Cleaned out the body of the valve with degreaser:

Back in place on the car.

Really need to get the hang of cleaning the engine bay!

Before I refitted it I gave the side port another clean and blew into it again. Couldn't get any air through it at all. So I guess that's one little leak sorted, that I didn't know I had

Ordered some TPI locking wheel nuts last week, going to treat the car to a fresh set of wheel bolt caps once they arrive too, the old ones are looking a bit scabby.

Thanks for reading

 

[Ibiza125]

The car is looking great Niall! LOVING the wheels!! They suit it very well!

 

[csd_19]

She's looking ace dude

 

[cupra-barn]

I'm loving shot 3,4&6.

The quayside sets it off nicely

 

[8bit]

Cheers guys, appreciate it Got a digital camera last year for going on holiday, just a compact like (Canon S95) not an SLR or anything like that. Been meaning to take some shots of the car with it for a while, thought I'd do it yesterday since it wasn't raining/snowing and the car was clean. Mind you, was dusty and had a bit of spray off the tyre dressing by the time I got back so I spent an hour cleaning it again just with quick detailer when I got back

That's Cove Bay harbour, a popular place for taking car photos round here, been meaning to go there for a while. Anyone local know any other good spots? Maybe something with a bit of lighting for some night-time shots...

 

[joshy514]

Cheers guys, appreciate it Got a digital camera last year for going on holiday, just a compact like (Canon S95) not an SLR or anything like that. Been meaning to take some shots of the car with it for a while, thought I'd do it yesterday since it wasn't raining/snowing and the car was clean. Mind you, was dusty and had a bit of spray off the tyre dressing by the time I got back so I spent an hour cleaning it again just with quick detailer when I got back

That's Cove Bay harbour, a popular place for taking car photos round here, been meaning to go there for a while. Anyone local know any other good spots? Maybe something with a bit of lighting for some night-time shots...

Tesco car park!
I nearly got some genuine r32 wheels for mine about two weeks ago, got LCR alloys but wish I hadn't not as they look really good!

 

[8bit]

Heh heh, do you mean any particular Tesco?

Cheers, yeah they came up lovely after the refurb, look nicer than I thought they would, seems a shame to just have them as winter wheels. I do still prefer the stock LCR rims but these came up a bit cheaper so went for them instead. Mind you, by the time I'd bought spacers and had them refurbished it probably would have been cheaper to go for the LCR ones...

 

[joshy514]

Heh heh, do you mean any particular Tesco?

Cheers, yeah they came up lovely after the refurb, look nicer than I thought they would, seems a shame to just have them as winter wheels. I do still prefer the stock LCR rims but these came up a bit cheaper so went for them instead. Mind you, by the time I'd bought spacers and had them refurbished it probably would have been cheaper to go for the LCR ones...

No I don't know what area you're in lol,
Well, what's the point in being the richest man in the graveyard?

 

[8bit]

Did wonder when I looked and the forum said you were in Gloucester There is actually a new Tesco just opened up here in Aberdeen, the car park is underneath the building, looks quite commercial/industrial and clean because it's new, may take a few shots up there after dark some evening.

Yeah, can't take it with you - so I keep telling the mrs, doesn't stop her rolling her eyes when I buy bits for it

 

[joshy514]

Did wonder when I looked and the forum said you were in Gloucester There is actually a new Tesco just opened up here in Aberdeen, the car park is underneath the building, looks quite commercial/industrial and clean because it's new, may take a few shots up there after dark some evening.

Yeah, can't take it with you - so I keep telling the mrs, doesn't stop her rolling her eyes when I buy bits for it

Haha mine is exactly the same! Got to stop buying bits though because we're going to Egypt in the summer!

 

[8bit]

They always find a reason for us not to buy more modifications, mine was that we're getting married in less than 2 weeks I justified the suspension and winter wheels/tyres on the basis that this will become her car after the wedding, she wants to sell her MX5 and I want to get something new so the Leon will be the sensible family car!

 

[joshy514]

They always find a reason for us not to buy more modifications, mine was that we're getting married in less than 2 weeks I justified the suspension and winter wheels/tyres on the basis that this will become her car after the wedding, she wants to sell her MX5 and I want to get something new so the Leon will be the sensible family car!

Congratulations on the marriage! Surely by the time she gets it though it will be time for summer wheels again? Did she just miss that bit out lol? Me and the misses are 21 so I just say to her, when you stop buying clothes, I'll stop buying mods! Get a bonus this time next year, but how will I justify spunking all that on hybrid and mani?? Need to start thinking about a house really lol.

 

[8bit]

Cheers I still have the LCR rims with the Vredestein Ultrac Sessanta's in the garage so they'll be going back on fairly soon if the weather continues to improve, really just wanted to get another set of wheels with winter tyres on so I can just swap them myself, rather than having to go to a tyre fitter twice a year.

I often say the same thing to mine, "so you buy clothes/makeup, I buy car stuff, who's right and who's wrong?" Funny how female logic always finds a way of turning that one round eh

Hybrid setup sounds nice, you got your own RR thread?

 

[joshy514]

Cheers I still have the LCR rims with the Vredestein Ultrac Sessanta's in the garage so they'll be going back on fairly soon if the weather continues to improve, really just wanted to get another set of wheels with winter tyres on so I can just swap them myself, rather than having to go to a tyre fitter twice a year.

I often say the same thing to mine, "so you buy clothes/makeup, I buy car stuff, who's right and who's wrong?" Funny how female logic always finds a way of turning that one round eh

Hybrid setup sounds nice, you got your own RR thread?

I nearly kept my old wheels, but a bumper came up cheap so it was good I sold them! The male variety will never win against the other sex, they seem to be wired as thinking they're always right lol. Indeed I do, might be put off when I mention pd150? The last 6 pages are the big stuff.

 

[8bit]

A diseasal you say? That's some amount of graft you've put in on that car mate, impressed

Small update, since it's all of, ooh, 24 hours since I last got my hands dirty with the car I got withdrawals and ordered some new rear calipers. Just stock items from Euro Car Parts in their sale but it needs them. Noticed when torquing and re-torquing the wheel bolts that the handbrake creaks badly doing the rears, more the offside than the nearside but definitely both. The offside wheel also moves a little when tugging on the torque wrench and the handbrake still doesn't hold very well on much of a hill despite being cleaned up and freed off when the car was in the garage a couple of months back.

The garage did say if that didn't fix it then it would probably need new rear calipers. That caliper was also binding after that, before Craig and I fitted the Alhambra release springs to them so reckon that one is as good as shot and the other one isn't in much better state. Fingers crossed that's an end to my brake issues for good.

Craig? Fancy giving us a hand after I get back from honeymoon?

 

[Ronin225]

Its not just a case of the handbrake cables needing adjustments?

 

[8bit]

They did that last time, was a bit better but it got slack again pretty quick. Also the offside one was binding until we put the helper springs in. I did a short drive from my parking space round to the back of the office after work one night (maybe 1/2 a mile) at low speeds, parked up and the disc on that wheel was scorching hot.

 

[joshy514]

A diseasal you say? That's some amount of graft you've put in on that car mate, impressed

A diseasel! The cheek!! I've embarassed quite a few petrol's in her lol! Tell me about it, lately has been non stop. Few more things like, take the suspension out, take the crap poly bush top mounts out for oem ones, split the front struts and change a track rod, 2x ball joints then she should be grand Oh and an engine mount!

Good job I read this thread, just ordered Cupra R fogs from ECP.

Where did you get the helper springs from, I've put lcr rears on my derv and the bloke said slacken the cable on the MOT but they squeel a tiny bit, so I'm thinking just fit springs and hope for the best?!

 

[csd_19]

Craig? Fancy giving us a hand after I get back from honeymoon?

I'll dig out the BIG hammer this time