DECIM8'S MICRA BUILD.

CMF_DECIM8

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As most of you know I've bought a wrecked Micra which had quite a few mods, I've decided to take this opportunity to make a build thread even if it is going to be short.

This is the original Micra I've owned for about 6 months originally buying it from my mechanic in fair condition.

micra.jpg


micra2.jpg


After a fair bit of polishing, detailing and banging I resulted with the above, painted the wheels black again, touched up other parts, sanded down hits on the bumpers and blacked them out.

So.. Ive decided in like all my cars to go with a JDM/Hellaflush theme. If you dont know what hellaflush is goto Hellaflush.com.

Now it begins.

Stripped car... Pulled these out.

02072010068.jpg


Cleaned them up, As from my previous experience dirty coil overs are so very painful to adjust! Always clean a thread with soap then adjust. Tape them up with electrical tape.

02072010067.jpg

Also decided to restore the tired looking Dragway rims with tough offset but will most likely run spacers. Going to get a metal polishing kit for the centres tomorrow. Looks like the barrels have been polished before.

02072010069.jpg

Then I stumbled on this.. Is this bent or is it designed this way? I does have some knocks in the metal but the curve is fairly direct can anyone suggest if its ok to use?

 

CMF_DECIM8

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I've got a feeling it may have been done to pass the exhaust, just sprung to mind. Seems its not a big issue and quite common to do? Does this not cause an alignment issue?
 

CMF_Mickb

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Then I stumbled on this.. Is this bent or is it designed this way? I does have some knocks in the metal but the curve is fairly direct can anyone suggest if its ok to use?
Click to expand...

That's the way it was designed, don't straighten it :)
 

CMF_DECIM8

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Oh excellent, I couldn't find any info on the bar so imagine its fairly rare.

Tried to fit the rear coilovers to my car today, I can safely say what a pain in the ass! Im fairly sure I've stripped one bolt already as they are on so tight/so dirty. I also broke my wobble head on the ratchet. Can anyone suggest if I can use an electric drill as an impact gun for the bolts?
03072010075.jpg


Have not had a problem on anything else, just on the suspension I even removed the brakes lol.

So .. Photos let me know what you think.. repainting black or staying with the silver?

03072010072.jpg


03072010070.jpg


This is the result of cut springs over the years..

03072010074.jpg


OLD >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> NEW

 

CMF_DECIM8

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I chose Silver, however I may spray them like a gun metal colour. Anyone who has an impact gun want to lend it to me (portable one) you can take what you need for the wreck. Within reason i.e not taken parts or over price parts like the engine or box.

Wait maybe ill just buy a breaker tomorrow...
 

CMF_DECIM8

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I installed the exhaust today, what a pain in the ass. The headers required removal of the aircon fan, alternator, compressor, plate which holds up the alt and compressor and basically the whole engine lol.

I've managed to mount it up however the rear has been bent in the accident so zip ties are holding it up atm lol. Tomorrow i will be taking it over to Midas (down the street thankfully) to get them to press bend and weld a new pipe onto the muffler. lets hope that it is fairly cheap I cant see it being expensive but you never know. It only bent about 4cm but the difference it made down the end was amazing.

I have to say, If you have never removed your exhaust and started the car with the manifold only it is the most fantastic sound. Just imagine a quiet V8, lumpy idle with a rally engine sound. Music to my ears!

Photos to come!

P.S 2.5 week wait on panhard. Have to wait ages for wheels :( Im thinking of painting them in the mean time.
 

CMF_DECIM8

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time off work.. I wish haha. I do this work every night in the garage everyone in my apartment thinks im nuts. Im going to sort a safc soon see if I can pull some more ponies out of this thing.

Keep tuned as next up im smoothing the bumpers, fitting some fog lights flush in the bumper and colour matching the bumpers. I will also be adding a front diffuser. Plan to do a badboy bonnet and also remove the centre of the grill (not the cutout, totally removed apart from parts under the lights.
 

CMF_DECIM8

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Where is albury anyway? Im pretty good with fibreglass its just colour coding the bumpers lol. Im good with paint but im a little uneasy about the overall look. I will certainly take up your offer if I need it. Trying to avoid f/g as its to much prep to be worth it.

Ill be using body filler for the lines although im seeing a car with the lines still and it looks tops. Ill use plasti-weld to do the grill I think heaps easier.

http://www.micra.org.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=12455&d=1238678003
 

CMF_DECIM8

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turns out its 150 to unbend it. I told them to piss off. Zip ties for the win: cant get much more back yard than zip ties
 

CMF_AB-NRML

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$150 to straighten the panhard rod?!?!?

if the shop has the right tools it'll take less than 5 mins.

i'd use a couple of lumps of wood, a doorway and a bottle jack to press it straight.
 

CMF_DECIM8

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No $150 to straighten a bent exhaust. After I told him it was a joke he told me It has several bends. I said yeah its an exhaust it goes from one end to the other. The only bend im worried about is the one on the end. I then left in a fury of rage and im pretty sure my hair turned blonde and I became a super sayan. Ha!
 

CMF_DECIM8

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No they said "Its a few bends sir"

I rang another place today, "oh mate sounds fairly simple. About $40-50 dollars" .. Oh righto I said, Ill bring it around soon.

 

CMF_DECIM8

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Well im going to try drop in this arvo to the place in gladesville. Have to leave work early but hopefully they can knock the bend out of it.
 

CMF_DECIM8

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Turns out it was fairly easy fix. Oxy torch and metal bar and it is nice and curved correctly. Cost $50 bargin!

Unfortunately it resulted in the exhaust being quite low and it sits quite abit lower than where it originally was but I may drill a hole somewhere and add another hanger. Just to avoid it hitting too much it just taps big speed humps now so not too worried.

Soooo.. Saturday will be smoothing day! Where can I buy AJ4 paint code? Super cheap mix it up?
 

CMF_DECIM8

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So thought I'd throw a DIY in this for painting the bumpers..

You will need:
Sand Paper - 250, 400, 800 & 2000 (I used more but thats what you'll need)
Wax and Grease remover (Im pretty sure acetone will work too, dont use kero, metho etc anything oil based)
Plastic Primer - 1 Large Can
Spray Putty - 1 large can (use sparingly)
Paint colour of your choice.
Newspaper
Masking tape
About 2-5 hours of time.

So.. We begin.

17072010080.jpg


Im lazy, So I did most of the prep on the car. I highly recommend removing the bars to paint or prep but I have to use it daily so its pointless as the bar is a PIA to remove.

Rub down that bumper, dont think its a one application affair, Several applications of Wax and Grease remover is required. Most of you including me have most likely spent ages coating the bar in silicone to make it look pretty. You now spend a good hour to remove it from the bar. I did about 10-12 applications and removals of each bar. You apply on clean rag and wipe it off while wet.

Let it dry for 2 minutes.

Sand down bar with 250-400 grade sandpaper. Spend ages on this, its important.

17072010081.jpg


Mask up if you want to leave it on the car. Spend awhile on masking!! Then apply a plastic primer. This is quite thick so quick even thin coats is always best. Apply until most of the bar to covered. I use the grey spray as I can see where its going. It comes in clear also. It also makes a good undercoat & sealer. 1 - 3 coats

1500-2000 grade sand back. Very light just to keep it smooth.

17072010083.jpg


Spray putty. Apply this lightly and work up. We will be sanding this back from 400-2000 so I would apply a minimum of 3 coats.

18072010084.jpg


Before Ive sanded it back, I will hit it with a quick 400 and then jump to a 850 and then 1500 and 2000. I wouldnt spend to much time on each as the putty is very soft. 2000 would be a nice good rub down. I wouldnt go to wet paper as the paint will stick better with the dry sand.

You then reapply the plastic primer for the two reasons, better adhesion to paint and also its sealing properties.

Paint to come, Ive yet to get some packed. Will hit up auto one soon.

I also want to work out If I should remove the front grill. Its a little bit of effort but it may look better.
 

CMF_ndxxx

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grille should be a peice of piss to do bud :) good info. its good to see how other people do it, when i did mine i just used 400 wet and dry to rub it down, then spray bogged it and rub it down with 600 wet then couple coats of paint then light rub with really fine paper then one last coat and rub down the applied clear. came up a treat
 

CMF_DECIM8

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Haha Frank, Im trying not to be that ghetto. lol although your way seems alot easier. Its got a couple of dimples in the bar from someone tapping a pole and a scratch on the front from something else. Hence why I used the filler. Much easier than being rooted sanding down solid plastic haha. (you can see the heavy application on the left side of the car) I was going to fill it like yours but after seeing the above car I decided against it.

Frank it looks good, I can see that wet spot on the bumper though lol

Im not sure what Im going to do with the grill, you all think take it out? seems like a decent choice but I dont know If I can be bothered either way lol Dont want to sand it thats for sure.

When you rubbed down before you cleared it does it not remove the shine from the paint? I always seem to have that issue if I rub down even with 2000 wet on that last coat before clear.
 

CMF_sikK11

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OMG Frank 280 is rough as hell mate. I always go the same as DECIM8 start rough and go down to 2000. You need to also do the same when i am polishing metals.

Now DECIM8 i need to ask why did you stuff around getting them to straighten the pipe when they could have just cut it before the bend and weld another piece of pipe onto it and then would be straight and also not as low as you now describe. Would have taken 5 minutes and 20 bucks LOL. Cut and flare the ends slip over and weld into place. I am very suprised they did not suggest this to you.
 

CMF_DECIM8

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Sikk11, Its not that low, its still clearing the 10cm law so its fine with me. They would have to drop the exhaust to do that I would imagine and Im pretty sure I wouldnt pay for them to root around to do that. Im not fussed. Honestly its a micra, its not turbo charged and exhaust wont make much more power lol. I might go down that path in the future, depends how much it becomes a problem. I happy to smash it up in the mean time lol.

The biggest problem I have ATM is with the exhaust I keep waiting for the turbo to kick in (guess the whole link to sound and turbo cars I've had). Problem is it doesnt. I do need a Rev counter now for sure!
 

CMF_DECIM8

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Sprayed the bumper today, turns out that Red I needed is not the same as what was in the can lol. Red is very hard to match and I knew this but tried anyway. Ill post up photos later and you guys can decide if I should keep it red or spray it black.

Im slightly angry, Im hoping a highfill gloss will help melt the colours together.
 

CMF_DECIM8

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off the shelf can. Im pretty picky when it comes to paint and in daylight i cant pick it just in dark light. Ive got a photo its got no clear just yet so please forgive me for that.
 

CMF_DECIM8

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21072010086.jpg


You cant see much difference in the photo, apart from the matt finish. Its pretty clear even though the car HAS been resprayed in AJ4 it has faded. In saying this .. I saved $150ish dollars. Being a budget build thats pretty good.

Next I install central locking from the smashed micra.. At least I think its central locking.

Oh yeah Ill spray the front bar tomorrow (as long as its warmer and I have enough time) I also sprayed the horns red and concidering bolting in 4 horns .. Just for extra BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP :)
 

CMF_DECIM8

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Yeah.. I guess. Maybe Im too picky. lol On my rx7 I have fenders from an exact same colour of the same car (he replaced his) and I cant deal with the colour difference which seems to only be visable to me lol

Looks better slammed with all the same colour bumpers though. Also lets me keep silver wheels on the car. Black bumpers would mean black wheels look better.
 

CMF_DECIM8

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Sounds like a top idea lol..

So I plan to do this to the grill.. Anyone interested in selling a broken/smashed/want to swap for the 97 model grill so I can do this? I can do it without it but I thought I might put it out there first.

DSC_3121.jpg
 

CMF_DECIM8

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its banged up. All the clips work but the nissan sign is off now and it has a split in the centre of the grill under the nissan. Might use it and get you to shoot me a grill if i **** it up ?
 

CMF_DECIM8

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I was thinking the exact same thing. however I wont use an oil cooler, its useless on a n.a in sydney unlike in darwin where its hot.

I was concidering using a oil cooler from a old mazda.. rx2 rx3 which is about the same size as that gap!
 

CMF_DECIM8

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You mean why wont I use a cooler? Having a cooler on a car which does not reach max temps alot (I.E hard enough driving to raise the oil temps above 90, where it begins breaking down after higher temps) is pointless as it wont lubricate. Only way around this is a thermostat in the cooler. Popular in Japan as it gets cool :) Rotarys of this age did not have thermos. Sydney is too cold in winter and I literally drive 3km to work, in this case totally pointless. Ive also got a Rx7 for hard driving. so you see the prob.

I may place one in there though, just got to find one.

Yeah mod it up and post it, are you going to do the one I posted too? Mine is a touch harder as its not the normal grill its the newer version so the way it is built requires more "resculpting"

Maybe I should go to pick n payless...

 

CMF_DECIM8

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Ill let you know, Have to measure the grill opening first. The coolers are 500mm wide so have to check first. Dont think they will fit very easy
 
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