Definitely. Where are you getting one of those from.@ZTec - it looks even better!
And it will look even, even better when I sort out a white tonneau cover
David & Scarlett's Project Thread
- Thread starter David
- Start date
Good luck with that, I've been looking for a beige one for ages.
Pepper pots?? Don't know what those look like? JIM
Buy a black and dye it beige, not a big job and I think @David can put you in touch with the proper supplier. JIMGood luck with that, I've been looking for a beige one for ages.
@David - why didn't we add Pepper Pots to the list of possibles? Do they do them in 16"+ sizes?
Pepper Pots were also an option, like banded steelies, but it works out a very expensive upgrade, and I'm not convinced by the safety of banded wheels!
I realize that you Brits started the language but pepper pots and banded tyres are beyond me!! JIM
Steel wheel cut in half then a wide band of rolled steel inserted in the middle and welded back together. We used to use this on F2 stock cars 40 years ago. I wouldn't choose these above alloys any day.
Tony.
Those wheels look awful (The pepper pots)
This is why I thought 'Pepper Pot'..........
I think those are hubcaps, but I would think a set of Rally wheels for a little newer Vette would work and look great with the chrome rings added. I think I have a couple of sets of the rings hanging in my shop collecting dust. JIM
Yeah, that's a good call Mike. Although when I saw the picture I initially thought you meant Ed's greying hair...This is why I thought 'Pepper Pot'..........
That's salt 'n' pepper Gaz. If I remember right, just salt now I think.,
Tony.
Tony.
So, I have been quiet on here for the past couple of weeks as I gave myself quite a challenge. With zero mechanical knowledge and a desire to start learning, I decided to attempt my first mechanical venture (and it was a fairly big one for a n00b)...
I bought a new set of AP Coilovers from a .net member and plenty of new tools (decent socket set, breaker bar, torque wrench, spring compressors - to name a few). I then spent a fair few evenings researching how to go about the job, and eventually knuckled down and started the daunting task that lay ahead. I knew it would be a challenge because a fair few bolts were looking a bit worse for wear after 15 years of holding the car together!
I started with the front suspension and let's just say it didn't start well... The first bolt I attempted to undo snapped. The remaining 5 bolts (there are three on each side that attach the front strut to the wheel hubs) were removed successfully after a day of soaking in WD40 and plenty of elbow grease.
After undoing the 3rd bolt I had realised what a douchebag I had been... I'm not ashamed to admit this part as I'm sure it'll help some other 'novice' in the future; I realised I snapped the first bolt because I had, in fact, tightened it instead of loosening it - the bolt goes into the back of the hub, and from the front "lefty-loosey, righty-tighty" is the wrong approach to take! Still, the struts were removed after undoing the top mount bolts and now I had a new challenge.
The following week included a camping trip with the College I work for, and the rest was dedicated to researching what my best option was. The weekend arrived and my plan of action was to attempt to extract the bolt (this failed), or carefully drill the bolt out (failed too), leaving me with my final choice... to find a local breaker and replace the hub.
Local e36 breaker was found and hub was obtained, but it was from a 2.8 so I removed the hub from my car with help from a local Indy I found, and then took both hubs to his shop to swap the discs over (the 2.8 has thicker, slotted discs).
Once this was done, it was finally reassembly time! Not before one evening was spent filing the wishbone ball joint thread down at the top (which got chewed up by the ball joint splitter tool the Indy used) so the nut could be fitted. Once I successfully completed filing the thread down, reassembly was swift (which led me to kick myself even more over snapping the bolt in the first place). But I was on the home straight now...
Onto the rears.
Comparatively, these were a walk in the park. However, I did struggle to remove the rear springs, even with compressors attached. This appeared to be a problem that no-one else on the internet had, and I think it was due to my extremely short handbrake cable not allowing the rear axle to lower fully. More compressing, downwards force on the hub and prying the springs out with the back of a hammer did the trick, and reassembly of the rear was speedy like the front.
I was very excited to take the car for a drive, even though I knew the coilovers needed adjusting - the fronts were slammed, and the rears way too high. However, it was promising that I made it back in one piece and would've described the ride as very bouncy, but harsh at the same time!
The following evening (earlier tonight) I adjusted the coilovers and rear springs, and thankfully this was the easiest part! After adjusting the coilovers the same on both sides, I was relieved to find out that Scarlett's weight distribution (left to right) was spot on, meaning no more adjustments and faffing around with jacking the car and removing/replacing the wheels was required.
I finally(!!!) took her for a proper test drive, and it's difficult to explain how I am feeling right now. Overjoyed comes close to it, but it's also combined with a sense of pride that I have achieved this outcome almost entirely by myself.
She feels like a completely different car, IMO it's not a harsh ride at all, and the cornering is so much more assured. Only time will tell if she maintains this new found excellence, as they aren't the most expensive coilovers.
So, the moment of truth (if you haven't dosed off reading this Novel)...
Here she is:
It's a strange thing to think this but, in hindsight, I am actually happy the big mistake I made happened, because I learnt an incredible amount more from fixing my mistake than I would've if it hadn't have happened. At the end of the day, that was the whole reason for this exercise, and I am proud to say I have definitely achieved that goal!
If you are still with me - thank you for reading, I hope I have inspired some of you to challenge yourselves.
Regards,
A tired David
(Not @Grumpy David)
I bought a new set of AP Coilovers from a .net member and plenty of new tools (decent socket set, breaker bar, torque wrench, spring compressors - to name a few). I then spent a fair few evenings researching how to go about the job, and eventually knuckled down and started the daunting task that lay ahead. I knew it would be a challenge because a fair few bolts were looking a bit worse for wear after 15 years of holding the car together!
I started with the front suspension and let's just say it didn't start well... The first bolt I attempted to undo snapped. The remaining 5 bolts (there are three on each side that attach the front strut to the wheel hubs) were removed successfully after a day of soaking in WD40 and plenty of elbow grease.
After undoing the 3rd bolt I had realised what a douchebag I had been... I'm not ashamed to admit this part as I'm sure it'll help some other 'novice' in the future; I realised I snapped the first bolt because I had, in fact, tightened it instead of loosening it - the bolt goes into the back of the hub, and from the front "lefty-loosey, righty-tighty" is the wrong approach to take! Still, the struts were removed after undoing the top mount bolts and now I had a new challenge.
The following week included a camping trip with the College I work for, and the rest was dedicated to researching what my best option was. The weekend arrived and my plan of action was to attempt to extract the bolt (this failed), or carefully drill the bolt out (failed too), leaving me with my final choice... to find a local breaker and replace the hub.
Local e36 breaker was found and hub was obtained, but it was from a 2.8 so I removed the hub from my car with help from a local Indy I found, and then took both hubs to his shop to swap the discs over (the 2.8 has thicker, slotted discs).
Once this was done, it was finally reassembly time! Not before one evening was spent filing the wishbone ball joint thread down at the top (which got chewed up by the ball joint splitter tool the Indy used) so the nut could be fitted. Once I successfully completed filing the thread down, reassembly was swift (which led me to kick myself even more over snapping the bolt in the first place). But I was on the home straight now...
Onto the rears.
Comparatively, these were a walk in the park. However, I did struggle to remove the rear springs, even with compressors attached. This appeared to be a problem that no-one else on the internet had, and I think it was due to my extremely short handbrake cable not allowing the rear axle to lower fully. More compressing, downwards force on the hub and prying the springs out with the back of a hammer did the trick, and reassembly of the rear was speedy like the front.
I was very excited to take the car for a drive, even though I knew the coilovers needed adjusting - the fronts were slammed, and the rears way too high. However, it was promising that I made it back in one piece and would've described the ride as very bouncy, but harsh at the same time!
The following evening (earlier tonight) I adjusted the coilovers and rear springs, and thankfully this was the easiest part! After adjusting the coilovers the same on both sides, I was relieved to find out that Scarlett's weight distribution (left to right) was spot on, meaning no more adjustments and faffing around with jacking the car and removing/replacing the wheels was required.
I finally(!!!) took her for a proper test drive, and it's difficult to explain how I am feeling right now. Overjoyed comes close to it, but it's also combined with a sense of pride that I have achieved this outcome almost entirely by myself.
She feels like a completely different car, IMO it's not a harsh ride at all, and the cornering is so much more assured. Only time will tell if she maintains this new found excellence, as they aren't the most expensive coilovers.
So, the moment of truth (if you haven't dosed off reading this Novel)...
Here she is:
It's a strange thing to think this but, in hindsight, I am actually happy the big mistake I made happened, because I learnt an incredible amount more from fixing my mistake than I would've if it hadn't have happened. At the end of the day, that was the whole reason for this exercise, and I am proud to say I have definitely achieved that goal!
If you are still with me - thank you for reading, I hope I have inspired some of you to challenge yourselves.
Regards,
A tired David
(Not @Grumpy David)
Thanks for posting your experience David. You should be proud of what you've achieved and as you say you have learned from your mistake. Good on you mate. Happy you like the ride, I love mine, which was lowered before I bought it but vey nice all the same.
Tony.
Tony.
@David that's spot on that mate! I take my hat off to you, well out of my league of what I would attempt at the mo. Nice one
