Martin's 2001 PFL Roadster

CrazySX · April 3, 2016, 20:06

Quote from: mxcum167
Got the heater dials as well now.

Where did they come from? Nice them

MartinC · April 3, 2016, 22:02

I got the dash dials from StuC on here. They originally came from m http://www.visual-performance.co.uk/toy ... -172-c.asp m

You will need to have the dash dials already, as the heater dials connect off of the same control box. Or buy them both together.

CrazySX · April 4, 2016, 09:17

Quote from: "mxcum167"I got the dash dials from StuC on here. They originally came from m http://www.visual-performance.co.uk/toy ... -172-c.asp m

You will need to have the dash dials already, as the heater dials connect off of the same control box. Or buy them both together.

Ah shame, the dial kit is not to my taste. I think it looks a bit 90's. But that's just me. Like the heater dial bit weirdly lol

MartinC · April 6, 2016, 21:34

Saw these on eBay for only £11.95 delivered for the pair. So I thought I'd buy them and have a go at making some bracket to secure them. s8)

s8)
Supplied wit M6 and M8 ends.

shnazzle · June 1, 2016, 15:14

Quote from: mxcum167Saw these on eBay for only £11.95 delivered for the pair. So I thought I'd buy them and have a go at making some bracket to secure them. s8) s8)
Supplied wit M6 and M8 ends.

How'd you get on with these? Fashioned a bracket of sorts?

MartinC · June 1, 2016, 19:34

Quote from: shnazzle
Quote from: mxcum167Saw these on eBay for only £11.95 delivered for the pair. So I thought I'd buy them and have a go at making some bracket to secure them. s8) s8)
Supplied wit M6 and M8 ends.

How'd you get on with these? Fashioned a bracket of sorts?

Still working on it. I got some 25mm angled steel from ebay, and made one bracket as a prototype. The struts are too long for the engine cover, but they are fine for the frunk.
There are some shorter struts from the same supplier on ebay, so I'll get some of those for the engine cover.

MartinC · June 6, 2016, 11:49

Dropped 2 off into Bonsai on Friday gone, for handbrake cables to be fitted. Andy called me this morning to say, gonna need callipers as well. Ah well, it's only money, can't put a price on safety. Well apparently you can. In this case £83 per corner, and an hours labour.

MartinC · June 9, 2016, 19:02

So, new calipers and 2nd set of new handbrake cables and she's finally through the MOT.

Warning to others, DO NOT buy Paget handbrake cables. Andy at Bonsai told me he has had nothing but trouble with them, he fitted a set of Blueprint ones, and they work like a charm. They are twice the price of Paget, but at least they work. s:D

s:D

Now to try and get my money back from Eurocarparts

justinread72 · June 9, 2016, 21:34

Quote from: "mxcum167"So, new calipers and 2nd set of new handbrake cables and she's finally through the MOT.

Warning to others, DO NOT buy Paget handbrake cables. Andy at Bonsai told me he has had nothing but trouble with them, he fitted a set of Blueprint ones, and they work like a charm. They are twice the price of Paget, but at least they work. s:D s:D

Now to try and get my money back from Eurocarparts

I was with him doing the cables they were not fun s:flame: :flame: s:flame:

Rear calipers needed doing and that's no suprise yours where worse than mine. It's for sure the best thing to change them.

Enjoy the sun now. Mine passed on the same day also.

MartinC · June 9, 2016, 21:45

Quote from: "justinread72"
Quote from: "mxcum167"So, new calipers and 2nd set of new handbrake cables and she's finally through the MOT.

Warning to others, DO NOT buy Paget handbrake cables. Andy at Bonsai told me he has had nothing but trouble with them, he fitted a set of Blueprint ones, and they work like a charm. They are twice the price of Paget, but at least they work. s:D s:D

Now to try and get my money back from Eurocarparts

I was with him doing the cables they were not fun s:flame: :flame: s:flame:

Rear calipers needed doing and that's no suprise yours where worse than mine. It's for sure the best thing to change them.

Enjoy the sun now. Mine passed on the same day also.

I suspected the calipers would need doing, I noticed the dust seal on one was a bit messed up.
Might see you at Queen Square on Sunday. s:D

s:D

MartinC · June 16, 2016, 18:26

Bought her a little present for passing her MOT.

MartinC · July 7, 2016, 20:54

A couple of bits added today.
New knob !

Start button, wiring to follow, now that I think I have worked it out.

MartinC · July 8, 2016, 13:28

Fitted engine cover gas strut. Lifts cover fine after an initial lift of about 2 inches. I was going to try and reposition it so that it lifted as soon as I pulled the lever, but after thinking about, I think it is better this way.

The strut is a 300N (30.5 kgf) 35cm long, with a 14cm stroke.

MartinC · July 8, 2016, 22:12

Ok, here goes for a little write up, on how to make your own gas strut brackets.

You will need:-

1 x 350mm Gas Strut rated to 300N (30.5 kgf)
215mm of 25mmx25mm angled steel (preferably cut to 140mm and 75mm lengths, saves you having to cut it)
1 x M8 nut and nyloc nut and washer
Paint of your choice

Next drill holes as shown in the diagram below. I have tried to show the correct orientation of the angled steel as best I can, please shout if it is not clear.

There are more holes than are needed to allow for some adjustment in the leverage acting on the engine cover. i.e. you may want less leverage for a standard engine lid, or more if you have got a spoiler attached.

The Engine Lid Bracket, bolts directly over the existing hinge using the hinge bolts already there. I'll let you decide how to achieve this, but I undid one bolt, and put the bracket on with that bolt finger tight, and then undid the other, and swiveled the bracket into place and bolted it up tight.

The chassis bracket bolts down using one existing wing bolt, and the other hole on the bracket should line up with an unused hole through the wing/chassis. Unless you have got childlike hands you will need to remove the rear light to get a nut and spanner in to allow you to bolt it down.

Finally attach the gas strut, to give the desired motion of the engine lid.

NB. I TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DAMAGE CAUSED TO YOU OR YOU VEHICLE BY FOLLOWING THESE INSTRUCTIONS. THEY WORKED FOR ME AND THAT IS THAT. I AM NOT A QUALIFIED ENGINEER OR METAL WORKER, JUST A, SOMETIMES OVER AMBITIOUS ENTHUSIAST, THAT SOMETIMES GETS IT RIGHT.

MODS, I'm happy for you to turn this into a How-To, if you think it is worthy. s:oops: :oops: s:oops:

shnazzle · July 11, 2016, 11:17

Make with the details .. hahaha s:D

s:D Weekend is over.

MartinC · July 11, 2016, 17:58

Quote from: "shnazzle"Make with the details .. hahaha s:D s:D Weekend is over.

Have a read above. Anything else you need to know, just ask. s;-) ;-) s;-)

shnazzle · July 11, 2016, 18:46

Brilliant! Thanks heaps

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk

MartinC · July 17, 2016, 16:38

Now, I'm not expecting miracles, but at £11.33 inc delivery, got to be worth a punt. s:D

s:D

lamcote · July 17, 2016, 22:08

The gas struts I can find are either; 140mm stroke length and 325mm overall length, or 160mm stroke length and 365mm overall length, which of these would you think is best?

Also are ball jointed connectors essential or would fixed eye type connectors be OK?

Thanks

MartinC · July 17, 2016, 22:16

Quote from: "lamcote"The gas struts I can find are either; 140mm stroke length and 325mm overall length, or 160mm stroke length and 365mm overall length, which of these would you think is best?

Also are ball jointed connectors essential or would fixed eye type connectors be OK?

Thanks

The ones I used are item number 281854786428

Not sure about the fixed eye type, I've never used them.

Martin.

lamcote · July 17, 2016, 22:22

Thanks, are all the drilled holes 8mm diameter? Also will you be doing the Frunk lid?

MartinC · July 17, 2016, 22:27

Yes all 8mm, yes I will be doing the frunk lid, but that will take a little more work, as there's not a lot of room for the brackets.

Watch this space. :-) :-) :-)

Hext007 · July 18, 2016, 19:53

Think you would have to be mad to try those springs, when Teins are £130, the labour involved in swapping them, also it's not a front engined front wheel drive car, if you exit a bend backwards you would regret spending so little then, also what if one broke?

MartinC · July 18, 2016, 20:21

Quote from: "Hext007"Think you would have to be mad to try those springs, when Teins are £130, the labour involved in swapping them, also it's not a front engined front wheel drive car, if you exit a bend backwards you would regret spending so little then, also what if one broke?

I was going to write a lengthy response back to this comment, about how I am quite confident when it comes to maintenance of my cars, and how I have used progressive rate springs, and how I have not read anything bad about these springs despite quite lengthy internet searching. In fact I have read some quite encouraging excerpts from some VAG forums of people using these springs.

However I decided against it as all that is anecdotal. Suffice to say, that if no one tries things like this, how would anyone else find out how good or bad something is. I am willing to try and see how good they are. It is unlikely they are any worse that my current springs, that were an advisory on my recent MOT.

If after all of this, I end up in a ditch somewhere, you have my permission to point and laugh, whilst saying 'I told you so'. :-) :-) :-)

MartinC · July 19, 2016, 21:18

Well, they've arrived. Just need to find time to fit them now.