Dean's S15

[craig8585]

cheers craig, nice one matey :notworthy:

No problem mate

Craig - this Sat ok mate? I know you're a bit 'slow' on the texts but quicker on the forum haha

Sorry mate, I did get your text but forgot to reply Yeah, Saturday I'll fine. I'll get a balljoint tool too before then.

 

[DeanS15]

right - subframe is back from the coaters, and while its a fair bit more than i wanted to pay cost wise, he's informed me that the rest will be a lot cheaper. despite the initial worries over the price, i'm very happy with how its turned out. its been blasted back to metal, zinc coated, powder coated and had a clear coat so even if it gets chipped, it has to get through 3 layers before it gets to metal.

fitted with energy diff bushes and driftworks poly bushes

fuel tank and fuel lines are out, pleasantly surprised by the lack of work required under here

all that remains now is to remove the brake line and rear coilovers, then its time to start stripping the paint back as far as is necessary have started measuring the adjustable arms to standard lengths and fitting them loosely to the subframe, as each piece comes back from the coaters it will be fitted and the subframe will take shape once again.....

and for anyone thats ever wondered, once the fuel light has been on for a few miles, you still have almost ten litres left in the tank - i drained it off and i'm now running my saxo 1.1 daily on a mix of asda price unleaded and 99ron v-power lol

 

[Adam L]

Well, that's good info to know, on the fuel light. I ignore it anyway as I assumed it was an overkill gimmick.

The car is clean and the parts are looking good .

 

[craig8585]

Good work mate - the subframe looks perfect. I bet the saxo's a bit quick now! Easy on the loud pedal

 

[meddler]

subframe looks awesome.

 

[S15AK]

great work Dean, you really are dedicated

 

[Fruitbooter]

The subframe looks great! Shame you had to pay more than expected but like you say at least its a decent job :nod:

The underneath looks in good shape to so no tremendous work required to prep it really..

 

[DeanS15]

cheers all, as you say, not a bundle of work involved on the underside...its hardly worth going back to metal where there is clearly no rust or damage at all, its just the inside of the arches where there is a fairly thick layer of stonechip that needs stripping off to metal as this is a vulnerable area where rust can be without even knowing it. also the bottom six inches of the back panel behind the bumper will be keyed, zinc primed and stonechipped as this can be a hot spot for rust to take hold, especially where the rear panel meets the boot floor, there is a spot welded seam where water can get into...

 

[DeanS15]

adjustable arms now fitted first fix, does anyone ever grease where they bolt into the subframe? thought they were meant to be a rigid fix in position once the cars on the ground as per the standard arms but wasn't sure...

happened to have some 3mm stainless laser cut washers lying around that were perfect for eliminating the standard adjustment, some required filing one edge flat to lock against the dimples on the subframe, needless to say, hopefully now when the car is put on the deck, nothing will move before torquing and all adjustment will now be made by lengthening or shortening the arms themselves instead of eccentric bolts

camber arms locked in mid position

toe arms too, washers were the perfect size to lock the front and back of the bolts. excuse the bolts currently fitted, they don't protrude far enough out of the locking nut so longer ones need to be sourced

 

[sx-si]

how come you havent undersealed your car? unless its a summer /weekend car?
looks good though
please tell me there not the bolts from japspeed arms though as ive seen a snapped one

 

[DeanS15]

never got round to undersealing it, i knew i'd do it properly eventually and waxoyling it would just make it harder.
the bolts aren't japspeed, neither are the arms. the bolts are 8.8 high tensile steel bright zinc plated which i get from work with a metal hardlock zinc plated nut, we've been using them for years outdoors and they last well and are strong. once the bolts are all tightened the surface area is greater on the fixing point anyway as there is the sleeve that goes through the bushes taking the load as well......these bolts are the sort used to bolt steel girders together in construction etc...

 

[djmasterg]

Who made those blue arms ??? I assume they are bushed, no rose jointed?

 

[craig8585]

They are Apex bushes arms IIRC

 

[sx-si]

in that case can you get me a full rear subframe kit?
aka all the nuts bolts and washers for all the arms please

 

[Fruitbooter]

Wow that looks great with everything bolted on! Look forward to more progress

 

[DeanS15]

small update - progress is slow....... managed to rub down the driveshafts and zinc prime them. hubs were blast cleaned and then had 2 coats of zinc primer. 2 coats of enamel and 2 of laquer. studs were blown over with a galvanising spray.

diff cover was cleaned up, but i gave up and passed it over to a polisher i know that will have it done in about a millionth of the time it would take me

all bolts, nuts, washers etc have been photographed so i know which are which, then lobbed into a bowl of vinegar for a couple of days which has done a fantastic job of stripping them back to metal ready for zinc plate.

thats it for now.....

 

[craig8585]

Nice work again. That diff cover looks a bit shiny Are you going to lacquer it?

 

[DeanS15]

that was as far as i got with it mate.......the polishing guy can do it with the machine in no time and it'll be fairly cheap, i saw it as i could either spend a few hours pissing around with it and not getting as good a result, or go to work for a couple of hours and give him some money. laquering is a bit hit and miss, get it wrong and it will look crap, so i may just leave it bare polished ali and give it a wipe over now and then. the bloke did my manifold and that still looks great a year on.....

 

[LuPix_S15]

Dean... looks awesome!!!!! :thumbs:


...

 

[DeanS15]

cheers james - glad to hear about you keeping the 15, just in case i haven't said it already. i'm doing stuff like this now to curb the modding bug, its much cheaper to buy cans of paint and emery paper than tuning bits lol.

just a quick note for anyone considering using enamels - don't bother. i switched back to regular aerosol hammerite this evening, over a zinc primer and the results are great. not sure on the toughness of the finish afterwards (may look for a suitable laquer) but my brake disc bells were hammerited and they stayed great for a year outside and still are.