Big Thankyou To Bigd

[Vimmy]

Once again many thanks Iain for the help with the FMIC, I wasn't expecting to get as far as we did on Monday. To say I'm pleased with the end result would be an understatement First time cut and fit for the bumper was a bonus too. All I need to do now is to cut my air filter shield and connect up the two remaining pipes and its out with the TMIC for me

Time for a reverse scoop now too, get rid of that nasty hot air

I have a couple of photos with the whole front end missing, when I get the pesky things off me phone.

Thanks again Iain

Cheers,

Col.

Edited April 6, 2010 by Vimmy

[Big 'D']

Once again many thanks Iain for the help with the FMIC, I wasn't expecting to get as far as we did on Monday. To say I'm pleased with the end result would be an understatement First time cut and fit for the bumper was a bonus too. All I need to do now is to cut my air filter shield and connect up the two remaining pipes and its out with the TMIC for me

Time for a reverse scoop now too, get rid of that nasty hot air

I have a couple of photos with the whole front end missing, when I get the pesky things off me phone.

Thanks again Iain

Cheers,

Col.

Any time mate I am glad you are happy with it.

Cheers Iain

[Vimmy]

Aye definitely happy, I forgot to show you the filter shroud though, I'll pop by on friday and see if its any good to you.

Cheers,

Col

[Vimmy]

I'm liking it muchly...I only popped into Iain's for a cuppa and went back out to find someone had run off with the front of the car...

[Vimmy]

After a damn good bit of drilling, sawing, banging and bashing the FMIC was in place .....

[Vimmy]

And finally bumper back on, with the fog lights and the fog light brackets still in place which was a bonus.....

[Vimmy]

Yeah I think a big beanbag is required, nothing like a numb bum working on a car

[Vimmy]

I was thinking about that, but at the time wasn't too sure on the legality point of view from the federalez. It would look more aesthetically pleasing there too and not get knocked by speed bumps and stones.

Do you know if its legal to have it there? If i put it on and the fedz catch me it might rip off the paint when pulling orf again

Any thoughts welcomed...

[Big 'D']

I was thinking about that, but at the time wasn't too sure on the legality point of view from the federalez. It would look more aesthetically pleasing there too and not get knocked by speed bumps and stones.

Do you know if its legal to have it there? If i put it on and the fedz catch me it might rip off the paint when pulling orf again

Any thoughts welcomed...

I am fairly certain that so long as the plate itself conforms to the legal requirements, the positioning must be so that the number plate is clearly visible from both the front and rear of the car, so I think you will be fine mate.

Cheers Iain

[Big 'D']

Yep - reckon that's all good...

Iain - would a small sit on roller board be any use to you?

I have one thanks mate

Cheers Iain

[myles]

Jesus, are there no limits to this man's skills?

Vimmy, you are the man.....................

Just kidding, Iain does it again. Nothing states your intentions more than an FMIC, in my book. Thats why I havent got one! Vimmy, are you going to remap to cater for the changes?

[Vimmy]

Matty/Iain, thanks for the confirmation on the number plate, my new birthday plates turned up today I'm just waiting for the cups and and saucers to arrive and I'll be set I think the number plate would look better on the bonnet, far out of reach of boulders etc.

Myles yes funny you should mention it, I have a date with Bob Rawle in sunny swindon at the end of the month, hopeully fitting a Simtek ecu/board and live map to suit. I plan, boss depending, to have a decat Afterburner downpipe and centre pipe in place too to match the FMIC. My biggest dilemma is should I opt for the optional (not free) Antilag(switchable) and LauchControl option too, I dont know if I should do it or not - oh the decisions a girl has to make

I'm thinking of painting the middle black grill blue to match the rest of the car too, I've seen a few P1's done that way and its looks rather nice

[myles]

Matty/Iain, thanks for the confirmation on the number plate, my new birthday plates turned up today I'm just waiting for the cups and and saucers to arrive and I'll be set I think the number plate would look better on the bonnet, far out of reach of boulders etc.

Myles yes funny you should mention it, I have a date with Bob Rawle in sunny swindon at the end of the month, hopeully fitting a Simtek ecu/board and live map to suit. I plan, boss depending, to have a decat Afterburner downpipe and centre pipe in place too to match the FMIC. My biggest dilemma is should I opt for the optional (not free) Antilag(switchable) and LauchControl option too, I dont know if I should do it or not - oh the decisions a girl has to make

I'm thinking of painting the middle black grill blue to match the rest of the car too, I've seen a few P1's done that way and its looks rather nice

Are you talking about the de-resonated centre section? I may have a cheap Afterburner solution for you if you are talking 2.5"! Give me a shout.

[Vimmy]

That sounds great Myles, I was after just that thing to match the backbox..

[Vimmy]

Put the number plate on to he bonnet...think it looks better there now although the wife doesn't think so.

[myles]

I like it mate, starting to look like a right beast

[stum450n]

Looks good mate!

[whisperuk]

Looks much better, but I reckon you need to find one of those old school and legal sticker type....

Will see what there is on-line mate

Vimm its looking awesome mate really tempting me to do this too, was it expensive? reallye wanna save up!!

Andy

[Vimmy]

Thanks for the responses guys , I have this picture in my mind about how I want the car to look, it's ever so slowly heading down that route now. It may look a lil' bit battle worn with the odd scratch and car park dings on the outside but it's about to get to the 200,000 milestone (hopefully) and so far all the insides are fully functional and still working a treat.

I've been shopping, at great disgust to the 'Boss', and have sent off for my decat downpipe from Scoobyworld today, turbo gasket and center section fitting kit from RCM on its way by friday, decat centre pipe (cheers Myles ) is sitting here impatiently, remap and ecu with antilag and launch control for 2 weeks time. My new front brake discs finally arrived today, along with some redstuff pads, my refurbished 4pots are sitting here waiting to be fitted, the coilovers arrived last week and due to be fitted on monday Hopefully at the end of all this I should have the wee motor running (and stopping) like a dream

Matty I didn't know that there were stickers available to use for number plates, that will learn me

Andy the prices are very much depenedant on what you want to do, some of this can be done in stages. I had to do it in stages (rear box/manifold) as and when parts failed, but this last lot had to be done in one large hit as the downpipe was almost worn through on the bottom flange, if you pardon the pun - the downpipe going was the catalyst to doing all this work I didn't want to have to resort buying another new maf, because if I had only bought the exhaust and FMIC parts without looking at ecu mods then the chances of blowing the maf would possibly be quite high. As it is with the ecu remap the maf is totally removed so will be available to fund the next round. Its taken a lot of planning and saving to get to this point, but should be well worth it. The prices I've paid/about to pay so far are as follows:

ECU/Remap £900+vat (optional £150 for LC and Antilag)

Downpipe £162

Afterburner Vortex backbox £250

Turbo Gasket £18

Centre Section fitting kit £62

AB88 FMIC was £100 second hand/approx £160 new

Centre Pipe new is about £80-100 depending if you get it from RCM / Scoobyworld / H&S - mine was secondhand so cost a bit less

I already had 'Gruppe S' style unequal length manifold install as the old one rusted so 'had' to be 'replaced' this was about the £270 mark, but prices vary with the online shops and manufacturers.

It does add up to a pricey sum, but it keeps the car going longer now, and I intend to keep the car until it finally gives, I don't plan to sell it on as I'll never recoup my costs in the resale value. You have to look at what you want to eventually do with the car to be able to justify the amount spent. I hope this hasn't put you off doing some 'upgrades'

Next up would be intake manifold mods, the suspension bushes and after that lot perhaps a new short block...time to start saving again...and more flowers for the 'Boss' to pave the way

Cheers,

Col

[Vimmy]

Ah thanks for the find Matty, interesting to see that some folks are pulled and some not. I guess as long as the sticker is made of the reflective backing required, has the BS markings and the correct character spacings/sizings then all should be well.

That spurred me on to look at the law so I did a bit of digging, and found this site where in para 6 says the plate has to be :-

(3) This paragraph requires the plate to be fixed -

[a] vertically or, where that is not reasonably practicable, in a position as close to the vertical as is reasonably practicable,

in such a position that in normal daylight the characters of the registration mark are easily distinguishable from every part of a relevant area having the diagonal length specified in paragraph (4).

(4) The diagonal length of the relevant area is -

[a] in the case of a mark having characters the width of which is at least 57 millimetres, 22 metres,

in the case of a mark having characters the width of which is 50 millimetres, 21.5 metres,

[c] in the case of a mark having characters the width of which is 44 millimetres, 18 metres.

So as long as the letters can be distinguished from the relevant distance, you're obeying the letter of the law - pardon the pun

Cheers,

Col

[Vimmy]

Ohh Matty I sat there for a minute and couldn't see the 'addition' to my last entry - seriously funny shizzle

[andyjudge]

Does the plate on the bonnet get seen by the forward facing speed piggybanks ( Sorry I meant road safety camera's place at accident blackspots not )

I'm guessing not hence the plate having to be vertical.

Not that I condone speeding anywhere apart from on private test tracks

[Vimmy]

I'm not sure at what distance these camera/safety devices take the snap at, from the ones I've seen about that snap the front it's not that far away. As these Truvelo devices are much higher up (say 2 to 3 meters) compared to the front of the car and the distance is only perhaps 5 to 8 meters away the angle that the camera sees the isn't that shallow so in theory the bonnet mounted plate isn't that hard to see. The vertical plate in the same manner would also been seen at a slight angle too I guess. I'm not going to go out and try it either

I'm not saying I'm in the clear yet, fingers crossed it will never be an issue