'X' Plate Classic - Rise of the Silver Surfer

[Scott.T]

A bit of a refresh under the arches, and change from Eibach Sport Spings to Tein S-Tech.

[SpecB]

Looking good!

[Scott.T]

Fronts now done.......

[majorscooby]

I want those wheels!!!!!!! Looks really nice under there and that's my next job. Each wheel off and a good old clean up.

[majorscooby]

Did my fronts again today just to brighten things up. What do you use to refresh yours Scott, brush and a tin or a rattle can?

[scotty]

scott your inner arches are so clean don't you drive it that often lol

[Scott.T]

Originally Posted by majorscooby

Did my fronts again today just to brighten things up. What do you use to refresh yours Scott, brush and a tin or a rattle can?

A brush and masking tape for the plastics and hoses and lay it on as thick as possible.

[Scott.T]

Originally Posted by scotty

scott your inner arches are so clean don't you drive it that often lol

It used to be my daily drive and the previous underside pics are when it was used up until April 2011.
But since buying it back, in October 2012, it's become a real garage queen.

[BIG"E"]

Originally Posted by majorscooby

What do you use to refresh yours Scott, brush and a tin or a rattle can?

Silver smooth Hammerite, by brush..

[ajelliott]

What do you use to clean the underneath? I'll be doing mine when I know what to use and when I've got the right stuff. Please anyone

[majorscooby]

Originally Posted by SilverSurfer

A brush and masking tape for the plastics and hoses and lay it on as thick as possible.

Same here then but no masking tape, just a steady hand and some white spirit on a cloth on the end of my finger just in case i catch anything. Was very tempted to take the arch plastics out but just didn't have time.

[Hongkongfooi]

is that rust on the discs in the vents? tut tut

[Scott.T]

Took a few snaps today after a run out to settle it down on the Tein S-Techs.
Measured it all when we got back and it has dropped the rear around 25mm and the front 15mm. Which makes it pretty level overall all round.

The sheep gave it the nod of approval too.....

[Lucky]

Sits perfect now Scott. The Teins do work well.

[Steve_PPP]

That looks really good mate and nice and shiny on the underside too!

[bonner]

Nice work mate! they have done a very tidy job of your rims!! did they also fit tyres and balance up??

[BIG"E"]

Originally Posted by bonner

Nice work mate! they have done a very tidy job of your rims!! did they also fit tyres and balance up??

Yes.

Done at Lepsons..

[majorscooby]

Sits nice now fella, much much better.

Good to know 18" rims will fit just snug.

[Scott.T]

Carrying on the refresh now the evenings give me a little daylight time.
Whiteline Roll bar off and re-paint for the 2nd time in about 8 years. Decided to go for Gold this time after changing the stock silver to red last time.

Not a great finish due to the original finish being pretty poor and rust does tend to like sprung steel.
Gave it a rotary sand back to bear metal, which is pretty pitted TBH, a hand brush coat of smoothrite to try and hold back the rust, followed by a top spray coat in gold (same as brake disk hubs....a bit of a theme starting here.....).
Hanging up to dry......


PowerFlex drop links had a strip down and quick clean :


Brackets and fittings.
All fixings are being replaced with stainless. Brackets will get a re-paint for now. May get powder coated later after I have visited 'Hastings Powder & Paint' for some prices.


Spare wheel underside, rear of rear inner wings and chassis rails all brushed off, wiped down with white spirit and cleaned up and ready for paint.
Underseal applied to vunerable area's / seams and where there was little coverage on the chassis rails.





At some point the exhaust backbox will come off and I will clean up all the brackets, use stainless fittings and polish up the heatshield.

[SamSTI]

Looking good Scott!!

I don't think you'll ever take your car out on the road again, just in case it gets dirty lol, I know I wouldn't after all that work.

[majorscooby]

Good job mate.Those rear arb bush holders are avalible from import car parts for about £8 a pair in nice shiney silver.


As for the rear areas you have painted black with waxol mine are the same, quite grotty indeed and a good wire brush is going to be needed. A set of flaps will keep future crap from getting launched up there.

[SUBARMAN]

Great work there Scott. Quite like the look of those late classics. Might get myself one someday.

[Scott.T]

A few evenings work.
Not totally happy with the ARB finish, so will probably either replace or get 'powdered'. The paint wasn't 100% dry despite 2.5 days cure time, so ended up covered in finger prints.

It will get another coat at some point and a few other bits'n'bolts will get powdered or replaced with stainless.

[SamSTI]

Very nice Scott, you could eat your dinner off that

[Steve_PPP]

Very nice

You always had the Prodrive diff guard on there or is that a sneaky new addition?

[Scott.T]

Originally Posted by Steve_PPP

Very nice

You always had the Prodrive diff guard on there or is that a sneaky new addition?

Diff guard has been on for years, I just found a Prodrive Sticker

[majorscooby]

Good job, You've got me at it now Scott.

I've removed every bracket under the rear end plus both anti roll bars for pretty much the same job. Im going to buy new arb bush holders for front and back and front alloy drop links but ill blast and wire wheel the rest of the pieces all back to clean metal and re paint.


As soon as I'm back off my hold next week I'm going to purchase a set of new hardrace lateral arms and trailing arms.

[Scott.T]

Originally Posted by majorscooby

Good job, You've got me at it now Scott.

I've removed every bracket under the rear end plus both anti roll bars for pretty much the same job. Im going to buy new arb bush holders for front and back and front alloy drop links but ill blast and wire wheel the rest of the pieces all back to clean metal and re paint.


As soon as I'm back off my hold next week I'm going to purchase a set of new hardrace lateral arms and trailing arms.

Hardrace an K-sport kit look good out of the packet. But if their anything like Whiteline the powdercoat is ****e and won't last a season.
I would rather get the OE stuff replaced or re-powdered.

[majorscooby]

Originally Posted by SilverSurfer

Hardrace an K-sport kit look good out of the packet. But if their anything like Whiteline the powdercoat is ****e and won't last a season.
I would rather get the OE stuff replaced or re-powdered.

I didn't know k sport did a kit, wonder what price there kit is? And I know what you mean about whiteline, my rear arb already looks tired and its only been on a year.

Are powder coating costs expensive??

[Scott.T]

Originally Posted by majorscooby

I didn't know k sport did a kit, wonder what price there kit is? And I know what you mean about whiteline, my rear arb already looks tired and its only been on a year.

Are powder coating costs expensive??

I've a mate that has the kit, I may have a word to see if he will let me loose on it for the cost of materials.

[majorscooby]

Originally Posted by SilverSurfer

I've a mate that has the kit, I may have a word to see if he will let me loose on it for the cost of materials.

Nice keep us posted on how it goes. Might send him some work his way.

I was looking into getting a powder coating set up here in my garage, compressor, shot blaster and cabinet, and an electrostaticMagic kit. It was just the curing of the larger parts that was my concern. Smaller bits like brackets etc can be cured via a heat gun. Plus after all the kit has been bought its probably cheaper to send the parts off, unless you can do a few parts for friends for a small fee etc and make a bit back.

[Scott.T]

A few piccies from a run out to pick up a parcel this morning......

[ralliart didz]

you love that car dont you

[majorscooby]

It does sit much nicer now.

[Steve_PPP]

Originally Posted by SilverSurfer

A few piccies from a run out to pick up a parcel this morning......

Funny looking post office....

[Scott.T]

Eibach sportline Vs Eibach P1 Red

[majorscooby]

You'll have to stand one against a tein when you have one off.

[Scott.T]

P1 Springs are now on the Bilstein's and below are the 'Ride Height' Comparisons :

Eibach Sportline
Front 648mm
Rear 652mm

Tein S-Tech
Front 633mm (-15mm Vs Eibach)
Rear 628mm (-24mm Vs Eibach Sportline)

P1 Eibach (Red's)
Front 648mm (-0mm Vs Eibach Sportline)
Rear 645mm (-7mm Vs Eibach Sportline)

The handling of the P1 Springs out performs the Tein's. The car no longer has a soft rear end when cornering and there's isn't so much dive when braking heavy. Overall quite a transformation. It has changed from un-settled (both car & driver), to handling where you feel you can push on harder.

It's a shame though that the P1 springs didn't drop the ride height more. Although they are new springs, so I hope a few more millimetres are dropped in time.

Below are the springs off the car.
It's clear that the P1 Eibach (Red's) are the shortest of the lot when off the car. But the heavier gauge and stronger poundage means they don't compress down as much as the Tein's.

Poundage has differences :
Eibach Sportline 171lb
Tein S-Tech Front 179lb
P1 Eibach Front 215lb

Eibach Sportline 188lb
Tein S-Tech Rear 179lb
P1 Eibach Rear 195lb

I was expecting a much harsher ride due to those figures above, but it all seems quite compliant. I suppose Prodrive & Eibach combined, do know what their doing

Front's



Rears :


The only question now is "What would the Tein's be like with a 24mm ARB and a Rear Diff/Cross-member lock ?"

[bigemp]

Nah you got that all wrong,they look silly on your scooby makes it handles like a robin reliant

Best you get them off and i will take them off your hands

[Scott.T]

The futures bright...The futures 'ORANGE'.....
Quite a substantial girth increase...well only 2mm extra, but it makes all the difference

[majorscooby]

Very nice indeed mate! Nice splash of colour.

Did you replace all the fixing bolts under there for the arb connections etc? If so where did you get them from. I could do with replacing mine really as there original.

Pretty gutted my hardrace links and arms won't be here for me to fit before the weekend, I got a good price through Alyn at Asperformance as you always do but he had to make an apologetic phone call to say he couldn't get them for ten days as there is none in the country. Old ones went back on so I can go to Leeds castle meet. :0(

[Scott.T]

Originally Posted by majorscooby

Did you replace all the fixing bolts under there for the arb connections etc? If so where did you get them from. I could do with replacing mine really as there original.

Been getting all my fixings from http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/M8-A2-STAI...item79192aacba

[majorscooby]

Cheers Scott your a star.

[Scott.T]

Originally Posted by majorscooby

Cheers Scott your a star.

I thought you were nicking yours from work

[majorscooby]

Oh i do and I've got loads of hex heads and I've done the entire engine bay but I can't see me getting to the heathrow office / stores for quite sometime to re stock and get the bolts I need so ill just order some up.

[Scooby_Greg]

Looks great Scott. Do you find with the extra girth the ride is much stiffer?

[Spunky]

looks good mate cant see any scratches ,did you take the exhaust of in the end ?

[ralliart didz]

scott can you tell me how you did your arches and under sill & paint name again as i cant find it in your thread.

[Scott.T]

Originally Posted by ralliart didz

scott can you tell me how you did your arches and under sill & paint name again as i cant find it in your thread.

Cleaned out the arches with a stiff brush and white spirit.
Re-Undersealed using hammerite underseal

The above is better to paint with than the more common Tetroseal stuff, which it too thick to brush. When I tried with Tetroseal I had to dilute it with spirit.

Then painted out using Smoothrite


At some point I may get some rattle cans knocked up in the correct Royal Silver and blow that over the top. Depends how bored I get

[ralliart didz]

thanks m8,i want to do this too my new evo.