My long term tidy up!

[violetpop]

Would be happy to spend 2-300 per rim I guess. 

[k31th]

Check out the MCM video on this topic 

 

I doubt it would cost that little, based on that video.

[violetpop]

that's a serious amount of work into those wheel hey and the results speak for themselves wow... These guys are kind close to me so I might give them a buzz and see what they say.

[k31th]

Sounds like a good plan to me

[violetpop]

So I spoke to Barrel Brothers yesterday.

Super helpful as expected based on the mcm clip. He said they didn't widen steel wheels 'yet' but were looking at getting into it. His take on it was that the way that people do it by welding in a band isn't the best way and they planned on essentially pulling apart the rim at the original welds and making the modification so it gets welded back in the original spot. Something along those lines...

I asked him if he wanted some test rims for prototype but he laughed and politely declined.

With that said, I think I will leave the rims as is and just look at getting the best tyres I can get with maybe a 225 and match the OD.

Perhaps a little less traction might be better on the drive line.

[k31th]

ah, sounds about right... bugger, eh...

[violetpop]

Little bit.. There are other options but it would turn out cheaper get 4 9' dynamic steelies. Won't look stock though

[k31th]

yeah, I was thinking it was different wheel time. hmmm did they talk about whether it's even worth thinking about doing it their way or if anybody has done it or wants to do it?

[violetpop]

He said they were trying to get an idea if people were keen.. Perhaps its more popular with certain car groups like the JDM type in the mcm clip but really don't know. They were genuinely concerned about complying with the adr so that would also be a factor for them too.

[k31th]

it's always ADR's that cause the problems haha... well, if you're "modifying" it then essentially you're going outside those rules as it stands, so it does depend on how liable the company thinks they'll be...

[violetpop]

Bit of a tricky one.. Unless they offered some sort of engineering certification along with the widened wheels but it would cost a fortune to get it all done. Liable yeah maybe if a rim snaps and car runs off the road into a bus stop full of people. Jail time for sure.

Think I will avoid it all and just roll with stock steelies with a fresh coat of silver haha

[violetpop]

Had some time to wash the rims down and give them a quick scuff up with some 320. Fresh paint and they look mint. Also found a ghia grill which I think will look pretty good.

[violetpop]

Small update... Scouring eBay and gumtree looking for some bits.. Mostly trim bits to make the interior a little nicer and a few small things for the outside.

 

Getting into the garage has been hard.. With work and life and this pesky black dog chasing me everywhere I go, motivation is lacking.

I did contemplate getting the car sprayed professionally and spoke to a few shops. Prices engaged from $4000 to $15,000. Out of my budget unfortunately.

I painted the booty area with spray cans and it tuned out pretty good.

[violetpop]

Picked up a new shifter and second hand Monza cooler... Started going through the interior bits and bobs. Pulled out the center console as it was filthy and needed a deep clean.

The more time I spend sitting in the car the more I see how dirty it is. I think I will be buying or renting one of those carpet shampoo machines and giving the interior a mega mega clean up.

Punched out the holes in the grille too so I can fit the Fairmont lights and gave it a lick of paint.

On order are some t2 rotors front and rear and bendix heavy duty pads. Considering brake line replacement also. Not sure if I replace with stock or braided lines.

Next up I will be looking at shocks and springs. Currently I am set on Bilstein shocks and stock height king springs. Yet to confirm if the kings have a stiffer spring rate vs stock springs. If anyone knows?

[violetpop]

Pulled the trigger on some more goodies tonight.

[violetpop]

More parts to the collection. Wheel is a solid 8/10 where as my one is literally leaving black goop on my hands when ever I touch it. With a good clean up, it should serve me many years.

Boot trim.. I've been eye out one of these for a while. Its a nice touch.

[violetpop]

Picked up a set of Fairmont wheels. Always really liked this design over any of the xr6 wheels. 3 of them are pretty mint and one need some attention. Tyres will pass a rego check but a 8+ year old no name garbage. So new tyres needed. Good grippy tyres is what I want re003 or similar.

Also picked up a Bissell Spot Clean with the plan to deep clean the carpets and seats. Hoping it will work well on the seat belts also. I think I mentioned before, the interior is flirty and needs a mega mega detail.

Some more progress with the car too. I painted a test panel (my old boot) with quite good results. I used a cheap ozito elctric sprayer from bunnings. It shoots out a ton of paint so your strokes have to be quick but smooth. It left a fair amount of orange peel though but after letting it dry and wet sanding it down from 1000,1500,2000 and a quick hand cut and polish, it came up very good. Was hard to capture a clean up close photo of the panel but I got a few. I used repco gloss white acrylic lacquer mixed 50/50 with thinners.

Being such a large change from blue to white, I have started getting some paint on the car with good old repco acrylic rattle cans especially in those tricky areas around door gaps and edges etc. This will also make the car much easier to paint with the electric spray gun.

In other news I checked out a wrecker last week who has a bunch of seats.. I really want a nice interior and everything clean and today inside. He has a set of f6e seats which I can make fit in the bf but also keeping my eye out a full fpv interior as time goes on.

[k31th]

pretty good for an at-home style spray job good work mate.

[violetpop]

Thanks mate, it will be no match for gloss and durability of a 2 pack paint not to mention how good it turns out straight off the gun but with time and lots of sandpaper I can at least get it nice, smooth and acceptably glossy.

At this point I just want paint on the car so I can hire the hoist and get back on the mechanical stuff again. Shocks, brakes major service etc.

[OZYWALKER]

Really liking this thread and the effort gone into the car. Good stuff mate, the forum needs more of it.

[violetpop]

Thanks bloke, might need to lock myself in the garage and 'self isolate'...

[skidxr6t]

make sure ya vent the paint fumes out HAHA

 

car looks good mate. Good on you for having a crack at everything.

[violetpop]

Got myself some good 3m face masks and respirator. Painting outdoors isn't too bad but I suspect the people in my flat might not be the biggest fans.. Cheers mate

[violetpop]

Finally got some colour down on the trim bits and dash surround. Pretty happy with the outcome for a spray can although I'm not 100% happy with them though as I've burned through some of the paint while wet sanding so I will scuf them back up and give them a few more coats.

This was more of a test run to see what products I will use on the cars body paint once done and I'm very very impressed.

[OZYWALKER]

The menzerna polishes are very good, I did find they cut pretty quickly even with the fine grades.
Works really well if your polishing by hand aswell.