My Little Micra

[LiamC]

Hi Liam, yeah cheers mate the cup holder is spot on ( don't forget to hit me up when you find another one ) also regarding the dash pods, while the groove in the center looks like its for keeping coins safe in fact it is for holding a flare ! Part of some Japanese road rule i am lead to believe.

Thanks for that information about the clip too, started looking at nissan4u to see which part numbers are shared so hopefully I'll find a cheaper one than the one from American. Someone has cut out those things that I thought were the coin holders with a knife really badly, so it won't be holding anything anytime soon. Although there's also an optional flare holder kick panel on marches, so if I feel the need for a place to hold my flare I can go find one of them.

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[LiamC]

Between yesterday and today I fitted my primera interior light as a front map reading light. Fits really well in the space and I've never seen it done before either.
First I took off the sun visors, a pillar trims and clips as far back as the b pillar for some movement. I tapped into the wiring for the centre interior light, which runs down the drivers a pillar.

I soldered a wire into this, and then soldered the plug onto the other end for the light. I did the soldering with my dad's old plug in 25w iron, which he said he was using when he was my age, in the 80s......

So once I scratched off some paint around a hole inside the roof panel and used an earth strap I recovered from my old bootlid, this happened.

I had a working light.

Next thing was cutting the headlining, a moment I was dreading since I started. I used the metal bracket from the primera I got the light from as a template, without this I would have been lost so its good I grabbed it.

I lined it up with the sun visors as a straight edge, and drew out the shape

I used a brand new Stanley blade, and lots of light cuts to go through it. This was the result.

It's a little loose if anything, so I'll have to come up with something to as a spacer for the spring to push against. But here it is, it's really really bright, and I'm using leds just so I don't overload the wiring which is designed for only 10w so no good using bulbs which add up to 30.

A night shot that doesn't show the brightness well at all, but I can assure you it is very bright.

 

[flyboypuoi]

Nice work on the interior light! And in fact the rest of the car too.

 

[LiamC]

Nice work on the interior light! And in fact the rest of the car too.

Ah thanks man, bit of work still to go. Will update this once I get my ass in gear and make that metal holder fit in the roof

 

[Tornado]

Impressive work, buddy. How cool to have a scrappy as a family friend! Give me a shout if you are down in the Waterford direction.

 

[LiamC]

Impressive work, buddy. How cool to have a scrappy as a family friend! Give me a shout if you are down in the Waterford direction.

Ah thanks man, yeah best friends since we've been 4. I know it's a bit far for you but there's a few of us around the Midlands planning a meet if you're interested, we have a Facebook group chat if you want to pm me your name an I'll add you to it

 

[LiamC]

Done a bit during the week after work and so far this weekend.

A while back I had picked up a parcel shelf with speakers from my local yard, which to say the least was a health hazard (all those black spots are mould)

After that I'd set about making them fit my current non-lethal shelf using the proper grills and everything. It took a lot of lining up and careful marking but eventually I had it all lined up and just needing the main holes cut for the speakers themselves. It was in this state for the last few weeks while I was doing other bits but finally I got my ass in gear to do finish it off the other night. I must say they make a huge difference to the overall sound of the car, bit strange for the first while but a massive improvement. Well worth it. Also note my amazing boot lights.

Over the week I also had an early pre facelift grill arrive, I'll get that ready for painting as soon as I finish my wrap around spoiler.

The badge is actually snapped on it already so I took it off, but I was wondering about using a k10 badge that I have lying around for the craic. Not sure yet.

Interior light is done for now, with the cage thing inside the head lining so it actually stays up. No pictures of that but all I can say was it was extremely "modified" using a hacksaw and a variety of hammers. It could do with some reinforcement against the roof to stop it moving but it's fine for now, I'll make something in work if I need to.

I also made a coin holder from a corolla fit into the headlight adjustment slot. It might seem kind of pointless but I do a lot of motorway miles every week and its a handy place for the toll money instead of having it rolling around somewhere.

Had plans to lower the car today after my spring compressors arrived over the week, but the Irish weather had other ideas. Next week hopefully I can close that monster truck arch gap.

 

[LiamC]

Me and a few friends went to our first meet with our cars last night, it was all good craic until we left and headed up the backroads towards the place where all the lads were diffin (doing donuts). Us in our 1 litres got pulled by an off duty guard, what were the chances. We managed to get off because he was part of the drugs squad but it was close. Wouldn't even go after the lads in the rwd cars that were actually going and doing rings up the mountain, but instead pulled us for going up and down the hills a little bit quickly.

Anyway, enough giving out, I picked up a couple of bits from the meet, a set of facelift March lights and another wrap around spoiler that is already the same colour as my car.

The spoiler was filthy, and covered in these black dots which I think is overspray it I'm not sure.

I cleaned it up as best as I could, using this stuff from the 2 euro shop. It is serious stuff, I highly recommend it. This is the dirt that came just off the top part of the spoiler

 

[NotMyNansSuperS]

Nice little build thread mate! Really enjoyed reading that keep it up

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[LiamC]

Nice little build thread mate! Really enjoyed reading that keep it up

Sent from my B1-760HD using Micra Sports Club mobile app

Ah thanks man, means a lot. Yours is the white super s just on here yeah? Look forward to seeing it. Got a couple of small bits done but I'll update at the weekend when I have a proper update (which will involve less arch gap hopefully)

 

[LiamC]

Wow I haven't updated this in a while. Since I last updated it I've gotten the March rear lights and wrap around spoiler on, and as of last night the car is lowered.

The new wheels are done, really happy with them.

I was putting one final coat on the other night and managed to drop something on it so one spoke was a bit ruined but its grand now. Looking good if I say so myself bar the silver tyres, considering they've gone from looking like this.

Speaking of tyres, I really need decent new ones. In the last week Ireland has had even more rain than usual and as I've found on a few occasions now, micras like to float around at the back if you push them a bit in the rain. Better tyres will be got before the winter anyway.


During the week I also started on cleaning up my cam cover, which was looking a bit worse for wear. I forgot to get a before picture, but there's been what looked like a slow oil spray landing on it, coming from the right hand side. I thought it was the gasket being a bit knackered, which I was going to replace when painting the cover anyway, but it turned out to be this.

Not good, and I don't even know when it happened. I've only had the airbox off twice so it must have been one of those times. Anyway, a good excuse to get my Almera airbox on properly once and for all.


While I'm thinking of Almeras, any other parts worth grabbing off them in the scrapyard? Hasn't been any in months, and they've gotten 3 in the last week. None of them Ga16 though so nothing like calipers or fun stuff.


And as mentioned earlier, the car is finally lowered. I've been getting a lot of slagging from my friends for not getting to it sooner but not anymore.

Few "in progress" pictures there.

Finally, I'm picking up a set of mint March floor mats and a March interior next weekend. They have vinyl headliners and door cards which feels really strange, but I'd nearly get them for the JDM points too.

 

[LiamC]

Haven't done anything to the car last week, but took a trip to the scrapyard for a few small bits.
There was thus poor oul rotten k10 march, which had the tombstone seats but they are far past usable. I know they are fairly rare.

Its also in the process of making itself into a convertible.

Also there was a P10 which has been in the section for seized cars from the gards (no tax, stolen etc) for years and years. I'd seen the 2 litre badge on the back, and today I finally got to have a look and yes it does have an SR20 in it. Only 70,000 miles on it.

I really wish I knew the first thing about swapping something like that, it's likely going to be forever out of reach for my skill level but it's nice to think about doing one day. All I've done so far is help with changing a yaris engine (possibly one of the worst experiences of my life due to Toyotas lack of planning for it all having to come apart when it blows up) and pull an engine out of a corolla.

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[LiamC]

Keep forgetting to update this, I have the Almera wheels on with some new Avon tyres up front. I got these just before I started back to college because I do over 200 miles a week now so I need decent rubber under me.

I also have a rear fog light now, after the I put on the March lights, so the car is mostly legal once again.

This evening I was on the way back from the shop, and I just had to take this picture.

 

[LiamC]

I'm not really able to do much to the car being back in college, but today I got some time and changed the alternator and water pump belts. The alternator belt came off very easily, after soaking the whole alternator bracket in wd40. But when I started on the water pump belt, the idler bolt was just not coming off. I ended up having to use an offcut of wood from my last project in college to lever the spanner against the engine mount, while having another offcut wedging the end of the spanner onto the nut at the bottom.

After all that the belt slipped on straight away, but I went to put the new alternator belt on, there wasn't a hope in hell of it going on. After some research on this fine site, it turns out that the original belt is 678mm long, and my replacement was 675. I didn't think 3mm could make such a difference but then I tried the old belt and it slipped on straight away. So I'll buy another one that is the original length and hopefully do that sometime next week, until then my old belt will have to do.

PS I'd just like to thank pollyp and Frank for the brilliant write ups on here that helped when I got very stuck. Micra legends

 

[LiamC]

Another thing too, the micra worked brilliantly as an ambulance when my friend broke his hand and had to go to hospital. As I said at the time, it mightn't be the fastest way there but it could do it a hundred times and not break down

 

[Tornado]

Well done with the alternator, I gave up and got professional help myself recently (blush). Ambulance, eh? I hope you made good progress on the way to the hospital! I thought the Fiat Panda ambulance around here was the smallest one in the world.

 

[LiamC]

Yeah proper sized belt is on the way, yours wasn't charging though because the alternator itself was dead?
Yeah been a good little ambulance twice now, probably the biggest problem is you can't fit a stretcher in the back.

 

[LiamC]

Decided to clean out the distributor cap yesterday after work yesterday. It had a good bit of white oxide in it so it was well in need of doing. After cleaning the inside and putting it back together, I cleaned the outside and noticed a very small gap between the cap and distributor itself. The cap doesn't sit fully flat so it must be a bit warped for some reason, and I don't think the rubber seal will close it off. I'll hunt down a new one to fit next weekend anyway all going well.

 

[LiamC]

Miniscule update: got a set of very clean mats out of a 94 Micra 'Image'. I'm really liking the mad 90's pattern going on

 

[flyboypuoi]

Another thing too, the micra worked brilliantly as an ambulance when my friend broke his hand and had to go to hospital. As I said at the time, it mightn't be the fastest way there but it could do it a hundred times and not break down

Mine worked well driving myself to hospital with my right big toenail bent 90° upwards at midnight!

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[Tornado]

Eeeek! And Arrrrgh!

 

[LiamC]

Oh lord how did you do that. I found today micras don't do brilliantly with hurricane force sidewinds. I thought I had a puncture at one point it was swerving so bad

 

[LiamC]

I was driving back up to college today after the surprise long weekend, otherwise known as 'Bank Holiday Ophelia'. I was expecting the usual rain and wind but with added bits of tree, but as usual Irish weather continues to amaze everyone and it opened up into a glorious day. So I took a little booreen (side road) and I was met with some of the best photo opportunities I've ever seen. Here's a few I took.

 

[Tornado]

Really nice pics, somewhere like the Sally Gap, I wonder?
Me, I washed some Ophelia off Little Miss Micra, and then fell off a ladder repairing a shed roof. Thankfully, no great harm done.

 

[LiamC]

No it's far, far out west in Connemara. Next stop New York. Specifically the Mam Ean and Inagh Valley roads. Do you know of the furniture college out in Letterfrack, that's where I go
Hope you're alright after falling off the ladder, last thing any of us need is to not be able to drive our micras

 

[Tornado]

I didn't think it looked like Athlone anyway! Ah Letterfrack, once infamous, now home to very prestigious furniture design college. Lucky you, also lucky them to get you I suspect.
Half my DNA comes from a little island in the Rosmuck area. I spent a couple of days in Galway city earlier in the year, a fabulous place. So you get to drive the Sky Road? More pics please!
I got an egg-sized lump on my shin, which is responding well to ice thanks for asking, otherwise I'd be looking for an auto Micra.

 

[LiamC]

I didn't think it looked like Athlone anyway! Ah Letterfrack, once infamous, now home to very prestigious furniture design college. Lucky you, also lucky them to get you I suspect.
Half my DNA comes from a little island in the Rosmuck area. I spent a couple of days in Galway city earlier in the year, a fabulous place. So you get to drive the Sky Road? More pics please!
I got an egg-sized lump on my shin, which is responding well to ice thanks for asking, otherwise I'd be looking for an auto Micra.

No the midlands are a bit flat compared to what's out here. Yes the same building that was once the industrial school is now part of our college, which is a bit strange to say the least considering all that went on here.

Funny story about the sky road, I drive past it nearly every week but I've never gone down it. A few years ago, when I was still in secondary school, me and my best friend were in geography doing map work. At this time we were learning to drive, in our parents cars of course, but well before we were on the road ourselves.
So anyway we were all handed these maps, and I thought it would be a good idea to cover my eyes and pick a random road for us to drive on once we had our own cars. And what road did I pick, only the sky road. Long story short we're waiting until we both have time off to go and drive it, until then we've agreed it's off limits. Hopefully we'll get there over the Easter break but who knows when it will happen.

 

[Tornado]

Now that's pretty cool!

 

[LiamC]

Now that's pretty cool!

The plan is to go either over Easter or maybe the May bank holiday. Or a road trip to Wales is also on the cards

 

[LiamC]

Got myself one of these off a march the other day, some assembly required....

 

[Tornado]

Much like my own, what will you glue it with?

 

[LiamC]

Much like my own, what will you glue it with?

I haven't done it yet but I think super glue is always a good option. I was going to give it a go tonight

 

[LiamC]

Over the week I tried to get some small bits done as I usually do but the only day I was off it was only dry 20 minutes the whole day. That certainly didn't help with the progress but I did manage to repaint (badly) my battery tray and fitted that positive terminal cover (which broke immediately). This is basically a pointless post but I also wanted to add a few pictures I took on the way back from college on Friday.

 

[LiamC]

Really haven't done anything in months to the car, but I found this car with loads of parts apparently on it for 600 euro (500 pounds). It's not a million miles from me, and I'm thinking of getting it as a parts car. Not really an update I know, but I have to make myself seen on here sometimes even if I can't do anything to my car.

Also, a bolero that I'm going robbing for parts hopefully. Anyone want bits, hit me up.

 

[graham coleman]

Really haven't done anything in months to the car, but I found this car with loads of parts apparently on it for 600 euro (500 pounds). It's not a million miles from me, and I'm thinking of getting it as a parts car. Not really an update I know, but I have to make myself seen on here sometimes even if I can't do anything to my car.

Also, a bolero that I'm going robbing for parts hopefully. Anyone want bits, hit me up.

Car looks well lad I'm in Ireland as well doing up a 95 micra atm any chance you have WhatsApp

Really haven't done anything in months to the car, but I found this car with loads of parts apparently on it for 600 euro (500 pounds). It's not a million miles from me, and I'm thinking of getting it as a parts car. Not really an update I know, but I have to make myself seen on here sometimes even if I can't do anything to my car.

Also, a bolero that I'm going robbing for parts hopefully. Anyone want bits, hit me up.

use of currently doing up a 95 micra and chance you have WhatsApp

Really haven't done anything in months to the car, but I found this car with loads of parts apparently on it for 600 euro (500 pounds). It's not a million miles from me, and I'm thinking of getting it as a parts car. Not really an update I know, but I have to make myself seen on here sometimes even if I can't do anything to my car.

Also, a bolero that I'm going robbing for parts hopefully. Anyone want bits, hit me up.

 

[LiamC]

Car looks well lad I'm in Ireland as well doing up a 95 micra atm any chance you have WhatsApp

use of currently doing up a 95 micra and chance you have WhatsApp

Yeah I'll pm you my number on this

 

[graham coleman]

Nice one thanks

Yeah I'll pm you my number on this

ce one thanks

 

[lukelog]

I've been contemplating a road trip over to Ireland for a few days, where abouts are you? Would love to come pick up some parts like the march dash thing etc!

 

[LiamC]

I've been contemplating a road trip over to Ireland for a few days, where abouts are you? Would love to come pick up some parts like the march dash thing etc!

I'd highly recommend it, the roads are crap and so is the weather but there really is no place like Ireland. If I was you I would be waiting until around Easter time, that's when we usually get our 3 days of summer. If you're looking for good driving roads, the South in general are very good. Tornado on here is from the sunny south east, so I'm sure he can recommend good places down there.

I myself am from right bang in the middle, but I go to college as far west as can be, next stop America type place. The roads are very bad out there, but they look good.

I sold that dash pod a good while ago but I am always keeping an eye out for marches breaking, and I'll throw up an ad on here if I get more bits.

 

[lukelog]

I'd highly recommend it, the roads are crap and so is the weather but there really is no place like Ireland. If I was you I would be waiting until around Easter time, that's when we usually get our 3 days of summer. If you're looking for good driving roads, the South in general are very good. Tornado on here is from the sunny south east, so I'm sure he can recommend good places down there.

I myself am from right bang in the middle, but I go to college as far west as can be, next stop America type place. The roads are very bad out there, but they look good.

I sold that dash pod a good while ago but I am always keeping an eye out for marches breaking, and I'll throw up an ad on here if I get more bits.

Awesome cheers mate, I was going to do it on my Vespa but I'd rather do it towards the end of January and it's just too cold for it. Do you still have a primera box for sale?

 

[LiamC]

Awesome cheers mate, I was going to do it on my Vespa but I'd rather do it towards the end of January and it's just too cold for it. Do you still have a primera box for sale?

To be honest a vespa is the last thing I'd do it on. Everything good is too far from Dublin and you'll be forever getting anywhere.
Yeah I have the Ga16 box, picking up another one soon as well off a scraped Almera

 

[lukelog]

To be honest a vespa is the last thing I'd do it on. Everything good is too far from Dublin and you'll be forever getting anywhere.
Yeah I have the Ga16 box, picking up another one soon as well off a scraped Almera

Pm me a posted price please mate.

 

[LiamC]

So not really an update of anything I've done, but more a congratulatory post to the wee micra for doing 5000 trouble free miles with me. In that time, one of my friends had an engine blow up, another wrote off 2 cars and another has missed weeks of college because of many varied issues with basically everything on it. Makes me proud to think that these little motors will keep on going with the bare minimum attention and never give up. Well done little micra, well done.

 

[Tornado]

97824 miles? Sure that's barely run in.
Lukelog, I'm not sure I'd tour Ireland on a Vespa myself, but we do have scooter meetings here in Waterford from time to time. Usually in the warmer part of the year though. Still, quite doable with the right attitude (and clothing).
How about: https://vespaclubofireland.com/

 

[LiamC]

97824 miles? Sure that's barely run in.
Lukelog, I'm not sure I'd tour Ireland on a Vespa myself, but we do have scooter meetings here in Waterford from time to time. Usually in the warmer part of the year though. Still, quite doable with the right attitude (and clothing).
How about: https://vespaclubofireland.com/

Barely run in for a micra alright, and to be fair to my friends yaris that needed a new engine, it had done 250,000 miles. It was way above the average for those engines and possibly the highest mileage of that early version.
My dad always said that you'll only average 45 mph in Ireland no matter where you're going, and I find that to be true too. So keep that in mind maybe if a road trip is on the cards

 

[Tornado]

250,000....hmmm, that's 10 times around the world all the same. I kinda like the Yaris, but you say the engines are not very long lived? Or do they get neglected when older?

 

[LiamC]

250,000....hmmm, that's 10 times around the world all the same. I kinda like the Yaris, but you say the engines are not very long lived? Or do they get neglected when older?

It is very impressive but way above what they usually get. The earlier ones suffer from the oil pressure controlled chain tensioner loosing pressure if some sludge gets into the very small oil chambers inside. When that happens, the chain has nothing tensioning it and flaps around and stretches and can break in a few seconds. Later French built engines solved the problem with bigger oil ways, but faced a whole host of other problems including problems with the oil filter pipe, exhaust manifold and vvti

 

[Tornado]

Ouch. I had been looking to buy a Yaris not long ago, but could not find one I liked. But a family member has bought a lovely '02 for half nothing, I'll tell them to keep up with the oil changes.

 

[LiamC]

Ouch. I had been looking to buy a Yaris not long ago, but could not find one I liked. But a family member has bought a lovely '02 for half nothing, I'll tell them to keep up with the oil changes.

They're grand little cars, keeping up with oil will keep them fresher too same with any car. The one thing I really hated when I drove my friends one was the electric power steering. Feels completely dead and so unnecessary in small cars.

 

[LiamC]

Post 100!!!

Over the weekend we got a grand bit of snow, by Irish standards anyway, so first thing on the list to do was get a few pictures.

Also, I got a picture of my two cars together at last. I'm not sure how I managed to go this long without getting pictures of them but anyway, it's done now.

(They all came out immensely crap because of the lighting, so that's the only partially usable one).

There was more snow today so I spent this morning in the big car park down the road. I also now have a completely ruined handbrake cable somewhere along the line. No worries, I'd already mangled it a while back doing the same thing in a different car park.

Once I'm finished college this week, and work next week, I can get my winter service done on the car, and ready it for its NCT. Not looking forward to that.