Tim's vRS - The detail starts

[DanGum]

Got my vents out today mate, used a card like you said, used my subway one but the card snapped :( lol. just sent them to my local trusty Autocraft to be painted =]

Cheers for the help.

[Huxley vRS]

Not a fan of the gear stick surround been glossy. As said before tho the vents in the dash are really classy looking in gloss, careful you dont go over board with the interior painting.

[TimVRS12]

Got my vents out today mate, used a card like you said, used my subway one but the card snapped :( lol. just sent them to my local trusty Autocraft to be painted =]

Cheers for the help.

Yeh ruined my card getting them out! I have a set of plastic trim tools now which do the job better.

Not a fan of the gear stick surround been glossy. As said before tho the vents in the dash are really classy looking in gloss, careful you dont go over board with the interior painting.

I'm a big fan of the gear surround, I got the idea from my GFs volvo.

I wont be going over board dont worry. Only got a few subtle touches to add, just enough to create a theme, but still keeping a VAG OEM look.

[TimVRS12]

The car has gone into the garage this morning to have a few bits done.

Driveshaft seal replaced, gearbox oil drained and replaced, and an alternator pulley bushing replaced. After this it'll be running 100%.

I'm getting a little bit of feedback and alternator whine through my speakers at the minute. Seems my ground point isn't very good. To avoid repetitive trial and errors it's booked in with a local audio specialist this afternoon so I can locate a solid ground point (my multimeter is on the blink).

I've managed to rebuild the door handles after they were sprayed, complete ball ache due to the spring!

So fingers crossed, if I sort the audio out this afternoon I can put all the interior back in, including my front door cards which haven't been fitted since they were retrimmed!

This came today also:

I've sanded down the lugs and tabs ready to fit later on today. Also ordered an under seat storage box arriving tomorrow.

[wilsy7]

When will you stop?? Lol looking good tho, really like the door handles

[TimVRS12]

When will you stop?? Lol looking good tho, really like the door handles

When will I stop what? The gloss black? I've only got the headunit surround to do and I'm done!

[wilsy7]

When will I stop what? The gloss black? I've only got the headunit surround to do and I'm done!

No no not that I like the gloss I meant just modding in general lol

[TimVRS12]

Ohh haha, well fingers crossed ill have most things done by summer in time for some shows, then I can focus more savings on my video gear!

[wilsy7]

What's next for the fab?

[TimVRS12]

Soon as I've sorted this out audio problem I'll make my custom fibre glass sub box, then I'll be looking at a good spring clean, including a full machine polish!

[wilsy7]

I bought in some more polishes this week for my detail

Edited 3 March, 2012 by wilsy7

[Dark_Hero]

I love the painted interior parts. Did you think about doing the ash tray lid also?

[TimVRS12]

I love the painted interior parts. Did you think about doing the ash tray lid also?

Thanks mate.Yeh I did think about it, but thought it would be a little too much/ not a part that would be done if it was OEM styling, so I left it out.

[vindaloo]

If the spray can is still handy, you could do the heater controls surround and get the chrome dials/knobs off superskoda.

http://www.superskoda.com/Skoda/FABIA/Fabia-I-air-vent-CHROME-buttons-COMPLETE

Hmm, these may have dropped in price since I got mine. *******!

J.

[TimVRS12]

Again the heater control trim is a step down the 'too far' route IMO, want to keep it subtle and OEM+.

[Dark_Hero]

Thanks mate.Yeh I did think about it, but thought it would be a little too much/ not a part that would be done if it was OEM styling, so I left it out.

Fair enough. Just gotta get the stitching on the handbrake cover/ gear stick done in green now :-)

Can't wait to see the pics once it's all assembled

[TimVRS12]

I've been having a problem with interference with my audio system.

After a month of headaches I've finally found what it is. Turns out the amp is faulty. It went into GwentVW over the weekend and they tested with a different amp, fixed every issue I was having.

So I'm going to see about returning the faulty amp, and hopefully replace it for a better one.

In the mean time, I've had time to test out how well the sound proofing is holding up, and turns out on low long bass tones I can get vibrations from the carriers. So I've tightened up the torx bolts on the door motors, and full proofed both carrier faces to eliminate it.

I've finally got the door cards back on now, actually feels really weird. You can already tell where the effort has gone with the sound proofing without playing music, the doors feel solid as a brick! Actually puts the rears to shame

[Rhyso]

Hi Tim, Guess who's car I will be getting .

[TimVRS12]

Matt's dirty derv?!

[Rhyso]

Correctamondo !! Hopefully getting it either tomorrow or Thursday. Will need your help with a few things.

[TimVRS12]

Finally found time to fit my splitter today.

Gave the car a clean also, as I planned to go out and take some snaps

It chucked it down straight after the clean though, didn't even dry the car. I took a quick one, but the weather was too bad to dry the paint or stick around to get more.

I've sound proofed my boot also in prep for my sub

And just ordered a Hertz HE4 amp in replacement for the Ground Zero one, so fingers crossed this time next week I'll have a complete interior and working sounds system!

[TimVRS12]

Despite having a fair bit of video editing to get on with, I thought I'd get a few bits and bobs done on the car as it's nice weather!

I started off by simply re-attaching the rear numberplate as it had come loose, but after cleaning behind it so thoroughly I thought it a shame to be to pull it back off when I do my detail in the coming months. So I got cracking with the detail today.

I'm going to be doing this in stages, as previous experience has shown that if done in all one go, you get lazy by the end of the day! and I want this to be a thorough job.

Method is

Wash

2 pass clay with songs clay

Machine polish using Poorboys SSR2 polish

Glaze using Poorboys Black Hole

Three coats of Collinite 476s wax

I did the tailgate and rear bumper today. Stripped the plate and badge off, and replaced the badge with a brand new one.

Diesel's are dirty, this was just the rear:

Second pass was a lot better

I use a Kestrel DA6 polisher (on a my second as the first one died) with various 6" and 4" Elite Car Care pads.

The paint is solid, and results are superb. There was a fair few surface scratches on the tailgate which are now gone.

I gave the exhaust tip a clean also, but in doing so found that due to lack of care over the years there's a lot of permanent damage to the inside top. You can't see it unless your head is on the floor, but it's enough to annoy me. So I'm gonna have the back box removed and replaced with a straight through pipe and nice new twin tip. This will also be a good way to lose the weight I've gained from the sound proofing!

[Southy]

Nice work on cleaning the back end. I think doing the car in sections like you are going to do will be the best way to do it. Seen as I need to do a fair bit of cutting on a few of the front wings etc due to scratches

[TimVRS12]

Yeh it's a much better method. I find spending loads of time getting it right rather than just getting it done this way.

[TimVRS12]

My new amp arrived yesterday, looks great but is a fair bit bigger than the previous, no chance of mounting it to the underside of my chair!

I looked at a false floor in the boot, but I need boot space for all my gear when I'm on jobs, so I've decided to make a false floor in the rear passenger footwell.

It's great because I don't have to re-run cables, and I'll only loose about 70-80mm depth in the footwell, so the ill-formed wouldn't even know.

I made a template on a basis of 20mm additional to the edge of the rear mat, then trimmed to fit perfectly. I use thin sheets of ply, and doubled up (it was easier to cut this way and keeps things light)

I've made it so there's enough room for the rear footwell vent to provide ventilation for both the amp and passenger's feet, I'll probably cut some holes out on top for further ventilation also.