DILLIGAF?: Project Ratty
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So here goes, I'm still awaiting the front spots but I've got one little job done (the car's still in bits mind :roll: ).
Whilst the bumper was off I decided to take the headlights off and take them apart to give them a fresh and meaner look. :twisted: (the car needs one hell of a clean too :oops: )
So here it is with the bumper and lights off this morning.
Here's one of the lights looking normal…..
Prepped and primed
BLAAACK!!!
Back on the car (minus the bumper)
And turned on
I just need to adjust the beams fit the spots (when they come) and re attach the bumper.
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very nice job, gonna have to do that to mine!
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@a896ac8ccb=barrywhite21:
very nice job, gonna have to do that to mine!
Cheers.
I'll warn you, it's a job that requires lots of tea on the go and patience, the glass is very easy to break tiny shards off when prising them away from the silicone (and then get stuck in your fingers). Had to stop halfway through to stop bleeding all over my kitchen and lights :shock:
The best way to do them is to pre heat the oven to 250 and then turn it off and place the lights (I did one at a time because the oven was too small) in for a few minutes (about 8 mins- remember with the oven OFF and take the bulbs out also) then using a small flat blade screwdriver slide it between the glass and casing but not forcing it (or you cut your fingers with the shards of glass that break off :wink: )
Also have some black silicone to reseal the lights when they are done.
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So preheat to 250oC then roast for 7-8 minutes turning occasionally. Sounds ok except for the bleeding.
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@3868d1523e=barrywhite21:
So preheat to 250oC then roast for 7-8 minutes turning occasionally. Sounds ok except for the bleeding.
Lol, yeah. I'll post up the guide I used in a bit to give you a clearer picture of it all.
Now, some picture whoring :lol:
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A day late, the front spots came so I got busy fitting them in the pouring rain :(
Finally got rid of the broken spot and in it's place a fully working un smashed one
(now this may come as a big shock but I am looking into getting some new headlights :shock: after seeing a 3 with some halo's I felt they suited it very well)
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you should have ovened your indicators/side lights. Removed the orange insert ( is held inside with a screw driver ) then fit the chrome/orange lights instead for that complete clear look. I did it quite a while ago, was an arse if i remember, think i used hairdryer not oven tho.
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@66e96519cf=Garfy1981:
you should have ovened your indicators/side lights. Removed the orange insert ( is held inside with a screw driver ) then fit the chrome/orange lights instead for that complete clear look. I did it quite a while ago, was an arse if i remember, think i used hairdryer not oven tho.
I like it, although I think some smoked ones would suit mine with the blacked lights.
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yeah, after i smoked rear clusters i had alot of trouble getting them legal mainly to get indicator bright enough and orange enough. In end had to use high powered orange led lamps. On the brightest summers day it is hard to see them but other than that they have gone through an mot for about four years!.
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Eagle eyed viewers may have noticed my big boo boo with the lights. The spraying black of them meant that the lights had no reflective surface to shine off, so basically I was driving without being able to see where I was going (not good travelling to work at 5am down dark roads with no street lighting!). So I took them apart and applied some metallic grey spray paint to the centre section and hey presto I can see again and it looks very subtle and effective (I also renewed the bulbs as they had gone too (scary day for lights!).
Now I'm going to look at what I can afford with my 50p an hour payrise that I received today :D
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So the lights were a bit of a problem after I sprayed the backs black (and then dark metallic grey). The light was very very poor and was not good driving to work at 5am (basically it was driving without the main dipped beam on when it was!).
So this morning I took them apart and sprayed the centre light housing chrome.
With this being more reflective than matte black it was the sensible choice. It looks better too, the rest of the insides are still black giving it that JDM look.
I really want to update the front sidelights and indicator assembly to a smoked set but finding them in the uk is unbareable so I'm waiting until next year and sourcing some from the US aswell as side repeaters and possibly rear lights :? .
I'm also trying to get hold of a new bonnet again after the guy on ebay (selling a black one) did not communicate with me about it, he has relisted it so I've asked him again about the condition of it!
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:) Got the new bonnet today. It has a few marks and some little damage from transit but I can sort them out over the weekend (which is more than I could have done for the rust!)
:evil:
But I am most definitely pissed off with one thing!
Returning home with the bonnet I was forced off the road by a Bright House truck. He came onto my side of the road to overtake a parked car even though I had the right of way. I had to swerve and clipped the kerb scraping my front wheel! I am F***ing fuming, I am ringing them up and filing a compensation against them!
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lorry drivers really do take the piss!
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I'm not having a fun day! I've been had to come home from work because of an eye infection which may be conjunctivitis! And here's the damage to the wheel :evil:
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Document it well! Write down everything that happened whilst it's fresh, keep a log of communication events. Damage isn't horrific at least. I had 2 alloys cracked to destruction by some twat with metal falling off his trailer :( Feel your pain though.
oh and PINK EYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
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@df32c2b538=Marco:
Document it well! Write down everything that happened whilst it's fresh, keep a log of communication events. Damage isn't horrific at least. I had 2 alloys cracked to destruction by some !@"* with metal falling off his trailer :( Feel your pain though.
oh and PINK EYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
Lol :wink: love it.
Yeah, the damage isn't that bad but it's just the fact they've been freshly refurbished that's annoyed me the most. I was trying to keep the car pristine :roll:
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Now christmas and new year is out of the way I've decided to start cracking on with the car again. I'm off work this week so I've decided to do some work to tidy the engine up. I've ordered some ignition lead clamps and I'm going to buy some paint tomorrow to do the valve cover.
Should be fun if the snow returns :roll:
Future plans for the engine clean up include:
A new battery (seen a blue one :D )
New ignition leads (red? Roc spares, I'll be in touch soon :wink: )
Silicone hoses (blue)
CAI (Roc, I'll be in touch soon)
Greddy catch tank
Denso spark plugs
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So my plans at the end of this week are to get the rocker off and spray it. I've found the colour I want for it.
I'm also off to the Seat garage to get a Leon splitter to fill a little bit of space under the front bumper, get an oil catch tank and I might get some new vacuum hoses as well (oh yes, it's pay day on friday!).
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So I went up to the Mazda garage today and they came up completely blank with the V6 splitter, so I popped round the corner (literally) and picked up the alternative:
Leon Cupra R splitter (£23 from Seat!- Bargain, especially when idiots on Ebay try flogging them for £26+ p+p!)These also arrived the other day:
MX3 Harness pads all the way from the US
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nice splitter! hard to fit?
