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Saving for a shed.

  • 21-05-2020 8:22pm
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 12,917 ✭✭✭✭


    I said I'd do a thread for this. Just finished the house, at the end of 2019, budget smashed, haven't built a garage yet but it's next on the list. What better a way to save for it than to find another way to spend money.

    With that in mind, this is to be a super low budget project. I should be saving to build a garage to move my Glanza into and maybe space for another car or two.

    There's also in my opinion a huge image online that any project has to be a cool base car and has to have money spunked at it 24/7. Additionally my own experience in general over the years is that having an interest in cars generally costs a rake of money.

    I'd like to see what is possible for as little outlay as possible, and maybe it might encourage a few other lads on the fence about doing something. I also have no conditions with no garage and minimal tools.

    So, what does €350 buy you? An auld Micra :) Taxed for 3 months and NCT'd for 8 months and three quarters of a tank of petrol :pac: 104 thousand miles, totally original, same owner for the last 17 years, looks to be a good spec for what it was with alloys, fogs, sunroof, electric windows and central locking.

    I have a bit of an affection for small, old, japanese cars. There is a lot of nostalgia in these old Micras for me and it's somewhat hard to believe this car is 20 years old. It mightn't be for everyone but the same concept applies to an auld Polo/ Fiesta/ Starlet/ Punto etc.

    The plan is to make it good and make as many little guides and tutorials along the way as I can. Cleaning, fixing, tidying, repairing. Get it tidied up, clean and original and if we get to that point maybe look at cheap mod's but that's getting ahead of myself.

    A link to the post the day I brought it home.

    https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=113480888&postcount=411

    20200518-204508.jpg

    This is what your ash tray will look like if you dont use it for 20 years

    20200519-203228.jpg

    Any this is what an Irish full service history looks like :)

    20200519-203254.jpg

    20200519-203303.jpg


Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 12,917 ✭✭✭✭Toyotafanboi


    Gave the bodywork a quick look over. I see over the years a lot of these seem to given way to rust. The front crossmembers suffer badly as do the sills, rear arches and bootlid.

    Drivers side sill looks good. Someone's jacked it up badly so the jacking point is wrinkled and there's a bit of surface rust around that damage but nothing too bad.

    20200521-212052.jpg

    Passenger sill looks pretty good. Straight and no rot.

    20200521-201918.jpg

    Some nice patina on the passenger rear door :pac: this should be easily sorted.

    20200519-203724.jpg

    Paint is broken on the passenger rear arch

    20200519-203744.jpg

    Some cracking on the drivers rear door. Signs of a previous repair, not sure what to do here but if a second hand door came up, that's be best I'd say.

    20200519-203820.jpg

    Paint is broken in the drivers rear door opening.

    20200519-203759.jpg

    Bit of peppering on the drivers door around the lock.

    20200519-203806.jpg

    Drivers door moulding is coming away.

    20200519-203828.jpg

    A little dent below the Nissan badge.

    20200519-203836.jpg

    This is probably the rustiest bit of the car, around the bootlid striker but should be easily treated with a bit of care.

    20200519-204109.jpg

    The spare wheel well looks good. Straight, dry and no rust.

    20200519-204231.jpg

    Is this the wrong rear wiper arm? It looks like its sitting very uncomfortably.

    20200519-210240.jpg


  • Registered Users Posts: 12,917 ✭✭✭✭Toyotafanboi


    A quick look under the bonnet. Dusty and dry is always a good first impression.

    20200518-204654.jpg

    Looks like someone beat me to undersealing the crossmember, not sure if I should consider that a good or a bad thing

    20200519-203939.jpg

    20200519-203943.jpg

    20200519-203956.jpg

    A little surface rust on the shock towers but they should clean up to be ok.

    20200519-204408.jpg

    20200519-204411.jpg

    Corrosion around the battery clamp too. That'll be satisfying to clean off.

    20200519-204948.jpg

    Opened the battery and all the cells look full, havnt tested the battery but it seems to be strong. Cant find a date on it but it doesn't look like an antique.

    20200519-205555.jpg

    The coolant looks surprisingly good. Colour is ok, no signs of corrosion, no sludge etc.

    20200519-204507.jpg

    20200519-204535.jpg

    Engine oil looks ok. Colour isn't ok but not terrible either, plenty of it. No glitter in it and no emulsion under the filler cap.

    20200519-204733.jpg

    The air filter is definitely working :pac: and some signs of oil staining on it.

    20200519-204821.jpg


  • Registered Users Posts: 12,917 ✭✭✭✭Toyotafanboi


    Power steering pump is sweating a little fluid, I'll clean that up and see what's what. The fluid level looks ok though.

    20200519-204605.jpg

    20200519-204646.jpg

    Looks like a bit of a sweat from the oil seal behind the distributor too. No big deal.

    20200519-204926.jpg

    You'd have to wonder how this got in there?

    20200519-204758.jpg

    The oxygen sensor looks worryingly new and the owner did say they had trouble getting it through its last NCT but they didn't say how exactly.

    20200519-204904.jpg

    The brake fluid is very clean considering I'd expect it's never been changed.

    20200519-204621.jpg


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 135 ✭✭moonlighting_1


    will you be able to get insurance and how much are the quotes.


  • Registered Users Posts: 12,917 ✭✭✭✭Toyotafanboi


    Who doesn't like an original spare wheel. "Never used". Date stamped 30th week 1999.

    20200519-210013.jpg

    20200519-210018.jpg

    Anyway, that's an idea of the car. So far. First thing to do will be to get a bit of a clean on the bodywork but particularly under the arches etc.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 12,917 ✭✭✭✭Toyotafanboi


    will you be able to get insurance and how much are the quotes.

    Haven't had a chance to look into it.

    I'm not too optimistic. I'd love a company to take it on under a classic policy now it's 20 years old but that may be optimistic as it's mass produced and Japanese but that's what I'm thinking.

    If I cant go that route I think a regular policy will be too expensive as my NCB is in use on my main car so if that happens it'll just sit in my garden, which is a bit sad.


  • Moderators, Arts Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 10,564 Mod ✭✭✭✭Hellrazer


    Cool little idea.And something Ive been toying with for a while now. Going to follow this thread and see how it turns out.


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,227 ✭✭✭mgbgt1978


    Apart from the usual rust areas (which you mentioned...you left out the boot floor above the chassis rails on either side :), but this one looks fine), the other common Micra problem would be the timing chain. Rattles away at idle, goes away once you rev it.


    Really, they're pretty much a cheaper Starlet EP80 ;). I liked them from Day one, a huge leap up from the original K10.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,621 ✭✭✭Mad_Mike


    Jumping on board for a sub too
    Best of luck with it


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,171 ✭✭✭Ubbquittious


    Did you get the inshooooorance in the end?


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  • Registered Users Posts: 14,721 ✭✭✭✭CianRyan


    Only spotting this.

    Honestly I'm amazed at how decent this looks. The fact that your coolant reservoir is still intact is shocking, the same can be said for the cross member.

    These can give hassle with fueling as a result of bad air flow meters, they're hard to come by these days but you can open up the antiques and resolder the joints, that can be a big cause of high emissions.

    I miss my Micra and I love when one rolls onto my ramp in work so I'll gladly be following these!


    P.s. If you can get a set of cams out of a 1.3, they slot right into the 1.0 and give it a lovely little kick.
    Also P.s. You can cover a hole in the dizzy disc and this disables the rev limiter, they'll make power until about 8 and scream up to 9 before death. :pac:


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