Mexie & Kev say hello

[KevGoat]

Boring night on TV so may as well add a few more things I've done ...

Only addition to engine bay to date has been an eBay strut brace. Fitted this at the same time as the NB Wind Deflector and was somewhat surprised to feel a small difference in rigidity! Could just be imagination or justifying the purchases, but hey .....

Then due to the original headers cracking, I had fitted a set of Hurricane Extractors, a Hi-Flo Cat & all new stock cat back system. But due to an annoying resonation between 2500 - 3000rpm, I then had a louvred resonator fitted. Looks a little messy underneath, but it gives a nice mild, deeper note.





The vise grips you may have noticed hanging in the background of the above photo are for this:



Figured I had no way of knowing when the fuel filter had last been changed, so for a small cost and big piece of mind I fitted a new one.

Ended up spending some time underneath with fluids & rags cleaning as much as I could under the car while on the jacks as I hadn't got round to this while fixing the suspension & brakes. In hindsight wasn't the best thing to do with a stuffed back ....

[KevGoat]

Of course, not everything goes to plan.

Back when I fitted those NB seats, one of the captive nuts broke away :



So down to the local body shop & they were kind enough to take it in straight away. However, worse was to come. They rang me later to tell me 5 of the 8 nuts were rusted & required repair! Told me they'd take photos as they went along...

Couple more before shots




And after




haha ... I guess they don't set the date on their camera

Another bonus with this repair, a rattle I'd been unable to locate disappeared ...

[Hammer]

This reminds me of an episode of Wheeler Dealers. Great stuff.

[KevGoat]

I like that Hammer ....

Luckily I didn't set a budget like they did, would have blown that ages ago! The one thing I said to my wife when she encouraged me to start this project (seriously!!) was that I wasn't going to start costing it. I don't believe you can do that if you want to enjoy restorations or modifications.

Plus plans change which alters any ideas of budgets.

After I removed the lowered Eibachs, I went with the idea of slowly restoring to a factory car ... but once she was back on the ground again & I had been driving her around for a while, I realised that if I continued down that path I'd very soon be searching for a late model NB. The NA is an amazing car, but it becomes too basic for frequent everyday useability (well, at 54 it does ) I wanted to feel that I could just go out & hop in it anytime without second guessing myself. So the build soon evolved to an "improved" factory car utilising "better" parts from various models - such as the NB windblocker & seats rather than going to aftermarket seats, sticking to a slightly improved but virtually stock spec suspension setup rather than coilovers. Even the handbrake boot, handle & button mod was based on one that was available as an option in the USA. The pedals, I wanted to use some of the later model optional alloy pedals but they won't fit, so I used the I.L.Motorsport ones that look very similar. The wheels, which I love the design, were another factory item that I wanted to improve upon while still keeping them looking standard and there are so many great factory wheels available from the NB models in larger sizes that if I want change, I would probably search them out first to keep the theme. Another idea on the cards are later model electric windows, an easy and cheap upgrade that still remains factory.

The idea is to try to keep it looking as if it came from the factory while improving everyday useability without compromising purity of driver appeal. So far I feel I've managed to hold the theme.

Of course ... all that could change at any given moment ......

[Magpie]

KevGoat I agree with your logic on not having a budget to a point. Personally I think that a well thought out modification plan is more imporatnt, as if you are going to do it on thecheap and risk having to redo the work (again and again) or get it done right first time so you can move on to the next mod. However having a budget allows you to plan the modifications in a logical order.

It is funny that some people go for horsepower first and then realise that they have to do a whole suite of other modifications so the car can handle the horsepower. Then to make it worse they skimp on things like brakes becuase their budget has been consumed on engine mods.

[KevGoat]

Yeah good points.

Main thing is to actually have a plan in mind. Even if that plan changes, the work to that point will be beneficial. Just adding or modding something for the sake of it, or because someone else has done it, becomes disjointed and conflicting.

Of course, finances & costs are always a consideration and are individual and staying within ones means will improve the enjoyment factor rather than become a burden.

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[Aussie Stig]

So nice to see owners talking about how they are spending money on their aging but still cute loved one.
Really makes this a forum for car appreciators rather than knobby wankers.

[KevGoat]

Thought you were talking about my wife for a second ... I'm really not that cute ...

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[KevGoat]

OMG I've become a junkie :smile:

Even learned how to use Tapatalk

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[KevGoat]

Thought I'd throw this in for something different. Not all restorations are street machines or classics ...

I'm currently helping out a mate with restoring the bodywork & paint on his camper, which has badly rusted just sitting around unused for the last couple years.

We originally built this van together from a virtual wreck about 10 years ago, fixing all the damaged bodywork & re-spraying it. We then designed & built the full interior with all the usual luxuries, including a rear seat that converts electrically to a bed. We completely cut out the original roof & constructed the full steel roof you see here, fitting in a Tarago electric sunroof while we were at it :





This is the mate I bought Mexie off BTW

Unfortunately we can't fit it in a garage to work on & the rain keeps slowing us down. Huge amount of work to do over the next few weeks but good fun .....

[Old Dude]

Good read Kevgoat, welcome to the forum, keep up the good reporting

cheers
Dale

[KevGoat]

Thanks Dale.

I've never been on any Forums before but enjoying myself.

I'm a gadget geek who loves my laptop & smartphone and have aquired the MX passion.

The Forum melds all of those nicely 8-)

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[KevGoat]

From my earlier post: "Another idea on the cards are later model electric windows, an easy and cheap upgrade that still remains factory."

Meant to say electric mirrors ...

[Hjt]

Hey buddy,

Car seems to be coming along nicely!
Keep the updates rolling along...
- Hayden

[KevGoat]

Hi Hayden ... yeah your seats went to a good home :-)

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