Welcome to vvon

Tom · #21 29-01-10, 21:37

OK.. Today was a bit crap as the weather wasn't too good, and I spent half the day running around trying to find a plug to go into the new oil pressure switch. I failed!

So looks like I'll need to go get one from the scrap yard tomorrow.

I id however pick up some paint today for my plenums.

Got myself 2 tins of Vauxhall Arden blue, and a tin of Vauxhall cassablanca white, 2 tins of primer, and a tin or lacquer (Got another one in the garage). I already have a tin of black VHT in the garage too.

I have already thought out what paint's going where, and whilst it may not look all that great straight away- When I have a few spare pennies I'll be ordering some white Silicone hoses to finish it all off nicely.

ooH I'm all excited now!

Tom · #22 31-01-10, 22:39

Right.. due to the weather, I've got got done what I wanted. However I do have some progress, and some pics (Finally!).

Lets start with some pics.. I think it's a nice idea to have some pics of how the car was when I first got it as it's going to change quite a bit over the coming months

Not washed, and done about 300 miles in it already, so quite dirty here lol!

Progress pics to come...

Tom · #23 31-01-10, 22:53

So far I've done a couple of mods-

Irmscher tax disc holder, complete with a new tax disc
Flat blade wipers

And today, thanks to ChrisFraser's How-To guide, I changed the engine temp sensor as a process of elimination from this problem.

The how-to guide was very well written, and will be a blessing for anyone that needs to change one as most people I know remove the plenums to change this part, but you really don't need to. However I can imagine it will be pretty fiddly for people with big hands (Chris, I'm assuming you have pretty small hands like me lol!).

BTW- Since my toolbox isn't that great, I decided to borrow yours

After getting the engine temp sensor out, I compared it to the new one I had. Wrong one (The bit that goes inside the engine was about 5mm too long, and slightly wider than the original)!!

The one they gave me was also an Alfa romeo part.

So, since my car was in bits, I borrowed my dads Merc to go get the right one from the auto parts place:

Damn Mercs- you're not even allowed to drive how you want- you can only go as fast as they will let you lol:

Anyway.. got there and after about 20mins of faffing about looking through their books, he tells me it IS the right one (He got the Bosch part number from my original one using a magnifying glass lol). He recons it's slightly different because it's an aftermarket part, but will be fine. Oh well- was worth checking I spose!

So, off back home I went and fitted it, re-fitted battery, and turned car over. Left it running for a bit, then went for a short drive to make sure the temp was OK- Seems fine... happy days!

Tom · #24 31-01-10, 23:09

Got a few bits to do to this car to get it looking like the blank canvas I'm after...

I will probably be replacing the Cobra SS backbox with a Standard GSI one until a lot longer down the line when I can afford to get quads. However for the time being, I need to drop this backbox slightly, and straighten it up as it's sitting on the bumper insert:

I also need to remove these badges that makes it look like it's ram-raided the Irmscher shop

This one's going to be a bit trickier though as some fool's super-glued it on there grrR!

I'm HOPING that after removal, I'll be able to wet & dry sand it back a little, the buff it up. If it doesn't come out how I'm hoping, then I'll add it to the bodyshop repair list in the coming months.

Also want to remove these:

...Wouldn't mind if they were the same badges that the Vectra wears, but those are the old style griffins

In the next few days I WILL be doing the full service... parts at the ready!:

..And painting up the plenums/ cleaning the oil catch tank/ plenums out (There's also a fuel filter and oil pressure switch there that I'll be fitting):

I also found out that the oil I bought wasn't the wrong stuff. I assumed it was as it's 5/40 not 10/40 like the one I got from VX a while back:

...However, the one I have got is actually a fully synthetic, so happy days!

Tom · #25 31-01-10, 23:18

...Also treated Jeff to his first wash today. This will continue tomorrow, and most probably the following day too (You prob know what I'm like once I get the wash/ detailing bug LOL!)

Keep an eye on this thread for details.

Whilst washing it- I was planning to remove the wheels and give them a proper clean and wax, but they have locking nuts on, and I never got a key with the car.

So I'll be on the phone to them tomorrow. Hopefully they have it, as it's had 2 recent new tyres so they should do.

If not- I'll need to go buy one of those tools from Halfrauds and get them off.

Leeky · #26 01-02-10, 08:34

You still havent done the service?!?

What you been doing man!!!!

Your not waiting for me are you???

I still cant believe those badges are superglued, the glue is everywhere around the badges!

Tom · #27 01-02-10, 12:31

	Quote:
	Originally Posted by Leeky You still havent done the service?!?

Nah because I wasn't able to get the new injector seals. I'm picking them up today, but I need the car tomorrow and Wednesday so can't take it off the road. It will need to be off the road for at least 2 days as I'm not only servicing it, but painting under bonnet too.

	Quote:
	Originally Posted by Leeky I still cant believe those badges are superglued, the glue is everywhere around the badges!

It's only the one badge that's superglued on- the GSI badge on the boot

Tom · #28 09-02-10, 15:13

Right- STILL NOT SERVICED IT YET! (Lets just say I've had an 'eventful' week

).

I have debadged the boot though (Only the glued on GSI badge, and part of the 'Vauxhall')- not through choice, but I caught it with the megs drying towel and they fell off lol. So- bit of buffing to do there to get it looking all good.

Today I received a little goody bag through the post- white LED sidelights. (Cheers to .Neil. for pointing me in the right direction of what I needed).

Before:

As you can see- the 'orange' look just HAD TO GO!)

After:

Just the full beam bulbs to change now:

..(Ordered)- just waiting for them to drop through the letterbox

. I then MIGHT change my Xenon lamps for 8000k ones.. we'll see. I'm happy with the light they produce at the moment, but one has a blueish tint to it, and the other's white, so think one bulb has been replaced instead of replacing both of them.

Oh.. another little mod:

Yep- I've decorated my rear 1/4 windows with a couple of VVON sticks that I had laying around. They'll be getting changed for the other ones with the red V's and silver outline when Leeky gets his finger out and finds a new supplier

*Hint Hint*

Lower Irmscher grill will be getting fitted first thing in the morning too. (Cheers to Leeky for the heads up on this, and for a mate for buying the bumper it was on, and for GIVING ME! the grill for free lol- BONUS!)

I'm getting there!

violator · #29 09-02-10, 16:21

thats the first thing i did to my car tom, change the sidelights, the orange looked awful beside the bluey/white of the xenons...MASSIVE improvement they make...bloody bright for sidelights too !! i love em

Tom · #30 09-02-10, 16:30

	Quote:
	Originally Posted by violator thats the first thing i did to my car tom, change the sidelights, the orange looked awful beside the bluey/white of the xenons...MASSIVE improvement they make...bloody bright for sidelights too !! i love em

Can't say I ever use my sidelights tbh- I just put the headlights on, but since they come on with them- they had to be changed.

Not a perfect colour match, but they should be once I upgrade the Xenon bulbs