The "Today I did something to my car" thread

MarkR

Today I fit car seat covers to the Mrs' car. These ones were from Micksgarage when they were on sale.





Rear leg room looks non-existent as I'd the seat pushed back.

Happy with the outcome. Cable ties and stanley knives should come standard with these, rather then crappy hooks.

Hal1

They look pretty good for seat covers. I had them on my first car and could never get them to fit properly, using those crappy hooks supplied with them. Well today I'm gonna start sealing my rear wheel arches. I got some hammerite underseal. I was gonna go with shultz but I hear it's messy stuff and nobody got time for that :P.

baldshin

Today I really improved the response and driving experience of my car! First, I adjusted the slack in the throttle cable, difference is unbelievable! You can see how much I adjusted it below:


Next up I sorted out the annoying slack in the clutch pedal before it started to engage.

Pedals before:


Makeshift adjustment:


And the pedals after (hard to convey the difference in a photo):

vectra

Fitted new rear discs and pads to Octy No. 2
Gave all wheels and tyres a clean as well.
Feels and looks a lot better now.

Mr Benevolent

Changed the oil on the brother's Mk2 Octavia, first time I've done it the proper way. Surprisingly easy but putting up the stands was time consuming as we both wanted maximum safety. Ended up with two stands and a big jack, so happy enough going under the car.

I'm throwing out my Lidl jack, it's fcuking tiny compared to my bro's 2.25 tonne Halfrauds leviathan, which was MUCH better at jacking too. No wonder I was terrified getting under the Corsa. Also drove the Octavia around the car park, it's odd using a manual again, it felt numb compared to other manuals I've driven though. Nice driving position though.

dgt

More bits n bobs

First, much needed thermostat and flap


Car wouldn't warm up atall!!!

The reason for the flap...


No one had Vulcan red in a can, alas that blue will do for now untill we get a quarter litre of paint

Moving onto a more important job... My rad was leaking! So I changed it

Draining made easy


You can tell this has never been out!


As above!


Conveniently, here is a new relatively new radiator. Thank Meath roads and the power steering leak for making it brown...


I had my eye on fitting the Xanti-cooler :cool: Piping is different...


To accommodate the different design


Alas, it's too short... So I'm using another 'cooler that I roughly cleaned out. Looking to fit a thicker FMIC in the future!

Refitting is simple, this pipe can be a right arse though


And the new thermo


Bled out, running like a clock. Delighted

Alanstrainor

Washed and polished the silver bullet for tomorrows meet....no time to wax it though

dgt

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Washed and polished the silver bullet for tomorrows meet....no time to wax it though

Ah feck, I knew I meant to do something else!!!

Hal1

Does anyone else have pet names for their daily's? I call mine 'the sliver surfer' or 'sufferer' depending on the mood . In other news I got one wheel arch treated with krust and undersealed. I'm steeping the arch liner in detergent at the moment will fit tomorrow. Hopefully I will tackle the other side then too .

dgt

Hal1 wrote: »

Does anyone else have pet names for their daily's?

Indeed we sort of do with certain cars!

My old red Punto 60 was called Todd due to a sticker with "Todd" on the back window. I miss Todd

The silver 406 was known as "The Hape" and the red one is called "Aul Laim" pronounced in the most bogger accent one can imagine :pac:

Mycroft H

Molly is my Clio :-)

JerCotter7

Fitted a clio brake servo to the E30 today. E30 one just wouldn't fit unless I made it a tad more square.



Only have a final picture but I had to thread the bar to take the E30 connector and make an extension to the other side if that makes any sense.

Just waiting on an EWS delete now and an E36 rad to come.

Bpmull

Not a car but. Me and my brother spent about 5 hours stripping sign writing off my dads van. It turned out well the van looks better without the sign writing. It was a tedious enough job boring and repetitive. In saying all that it was a lovely day outside and it's nice to be in the fresh air. The van just needs a good clean its in fairly good condition considering its over 7 years old. Sorry for the poor quality photos it was getting dark and the van is about a foot to high to go into our garage . After photos below.

MetzgerMeister

It would have been a lot easier if you were using a heat gun

Bpmull

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

It would have been a lot easier if you were using a heat gun

I was using a heat gun. It did help but the shear amount of sign writing on the van it was covered in it. And it was kind of 2 colour if you like so every words had to or more seperate pieces to take of. It was grand to get done though the van looks way better without it.

thecomedian

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Washed and polished the silver bullet for tomorrows meet....no time to wax it though

I'm in the same boat as you, though I might try yet

eringobragh

Some nuisance cyclist clipped the bonnect where I was parked back in December.....anyways the cunt legged it, I pulled out the DA for the first time in many months, anyway I wasn't 5 mins when it started to rain...a 60% improvement after a clay and a few runs of the DA.


BEFORE:








AFTER:

Eric Cartman

Not my car but had to do some work on a friends almera, whoever owned it before wired in a stereo with taped connections and had just ripped it out when selling the car. So I put in a new ISO header and now it will work perfectly with any stereo.



test fitted before the correct cage went in, all works though.

JerCotter7

Finally got the car driving today.



Now just need to get the exhaust done and put it back together. I need to get bigger and wider wheels as well. Spins the wheels in 4th gear. Didn't try 5th. I'd presume it does very easily.

Mar4ix

JerCotter7 wrote: »

Finally got the car driving today.

Now just need to get the exhaust done and put it back together. I need to get bigger and wider wheels as well. Spins the wheels in 4th gear. Didn't try 5th. I'd presume it does very easily.

nice project, could be more info, from where you go to where ?

JerCotter7

Mar4ix wrote: »

nice project, could be more info, from where you go to where ?

Where did I drive it is it? Just around my house. Not in a fit state to go much further.

dgt

Free on a Friday... I'll do an interior change!

Old back seats and bench


2 nuts and a good yank sees the bench out


Treasure!!!!!

Next, the back seats. 4 x 13mm bolts per seat


And while I'm at it, out with the parcel shelf too


I want my storage compartment, see...


A pet hate of mine: backwards buckle. I'm f*cked I'm going to start changing belts!


Much better


All back installed!


This looks and feels soooo wrong :pac:


The finished article


Bah, I'll give em a good clean in due time!

Onto the fronts.... Below....

dgt

For the front seats, you need to remove the plastic trim for access to the seatbelt. T20 and pull it straight up


For access to this


4 mounting bolts and it's up beware these plugs: I do recommend that the battery is disconnected first to prevent the airbag light coming on. Alas, my car has it on already so I took the lazy option :P


And clean when out!


The old new seats have lumbar support and tilt, something the newer old seats didn't have. Also smelled funny....


Onto the speakers.... Bleuch!


Better


The reason for a meatier sound!


Finally, sorting out my franken-exhaust :pac:



Naughty naughty pikey fix.... :rolleyes:


Getting there bit by bit!

Hal1

Nice days work there Dgt. Just hit the seats with a wet/dry vac and job done .

dgt

Hal1 wrote: »

Nice days work there Dgt. Just hit the seats with a wet/dry vac and job done .

Cheers! The longest part was the parcel shelf, as where the seatbelt bolts into the car have to be removed, all 3 of them! The centre belt seized as per norm :eek:

The difference is noticeable in the car already, the strong odour is dying away plus I have the lumbar support and adjustable headrest once more

I can't put the proper exhaust on until I have another engine in.... The one currently in the car is burning a worrying amount of oil

Hal1

So far so good then, pity about the engine burning oil. But thank chirst you have a spare one. I'd love the space the keep a donor car .

dgt

Hal1 wrote: »

So far so good then, pity about the engine burning oil. But thank chirst you have a spare one. I'd love the space the keep a donor car .

All these cars can be a nuisance at times! Like when rearranging to get a car to the garage door, everything along the road :eek:

My aim is to have this car like my old Fiesta and Todd were: showroom condition :cool:

Eric Cartman

Today its the e38s turn , put some new bolts in for the abs sensors , with a bit of anti sieze on them so no more problems.

The went and cleaned + copper greased the bonnet latch and door restrictors as they were getting a little clunky.

Tip - spray grease goes everywhere.

vectra

Spent another 7 hours with the DA on vRS number 2 today.
Almost there now.
Turning out good.

Bpmull

Today I removed the glue residue of my dads van which was left after I removed the sign writing last week. My dad got some solution that you spray on to remove the glue and it work well. I then gave it a good clean so it looks well now. I then gave the two octavia's a clean. I couldn't clean my astra today as my dad needed it for the day it's just so dirty on the outside:(. It's clean on the inside at least.