Lofty's Sprint Yellow Fabia vRS Mk1 - "Project Daffodil"

[pip_vrs]

I did the same to my intercooler, can’t see it. My new one i ordered in black to hopefully reduce stone chips.

[Lofty]

The decision has been made for a wheel colour change on BOTH of the “G3” Fabias, seeing as they have the same styling mods, and wheel types it made sense. So from dark grey to silver, nothing unconventional but it’ll make a change to see modified Fabias on something other than dark wheels...

 

I hunted down a single Team Dynamics Pro-Race 3 in 7x17, ex shop stock, never been on a car, downside it is white

 

 

It will be going to City Powder Coaters in the new year to be done silver along with the other 8 wheels. 

 

This means that I can now have a matching spare wheel in the boot of the daffodil, overkill I’m being told but hey, why not!!

 

May as well put a matching tyre on it as well...

 

 

I have ordered some 56mm centre caps off eBay which should fit (cheap so no great shakes if they don’t lol), more pics to follow.

 

New OE Hella 90A alternator was ordered today with the handy 20% off voucher code on eBay, worked out only a little more than an aftermarket recon alternator and the original one fitted was a Hella so I’m happy!!

 

More soon.

 

 

 

 

[pip_vrs]

On 28/12/2017 at 18:42, Lofty said:

overkill I’m being told

 

Will be out of place in your cars then 

[Lofty]

Wheels are done!

 

 

Fresh from City Powder Coaters in Birmingham, fitted with the new Michelin Pilot Sport 3 Tyres.

 

As always, very pleased with City’s Work and my trusty tyre fitter Danny was as careful as ever fitting the rubber.

 

Covered up now with a blanket behind the sofa till they’re ready to be fitted 

 

 

[skodalad]

Those tyres are awesome! Can't wait to see them on the car lofty

[skodalad]

On 7/21/2017 at 22:45, Lofty said:

Cracking nights progress tonight. Got both rear brake hard lines in, rear beam bolts tightened up, then set about the front end.

 

Front subframe complete with Eibach 22mm FARB fitted, steering rack refitted, front suspension legs and hubs fitted, driveshafts fitted and new hard hydraulic clutch pipe installed. 

 

Couple of quick pics.. front spring height needs setting and a light clean to get rid of finger marks etc

 

 

 

 

 

Loads more to do but for once there's less car parts in the house than there has been for months lol

 

 

 

Lofty, the corrugated sleeves that go over the linkages, did you find a place to get these new? Something i never managed to track down

[Lofty]

I didn’t Jack, they only come with new linkages I suspect. Mine need another good clean before the engine goes back in. 

[Lofty]

Finally made some progress on this!! I don’t mind admitting that I lost a lot of interest in it over the winter months but I’ve found a little bit of mojo the last week or so, must be the arrival of better weather I think?

 

I have got the car to the stage now where stuff can start going back in it freeing up space from the spare bedroom. Tonight saw the fuel filler flap refitted, and the new wheel arch liner on the drivers side. All fixing torx screws were new and have been etch primed and crackle black painted for longevity.

 

 

 

 

Passenger side rear liner will be next then I can get the rear bumper and rear light clusters in

 

 

[Dark_Hero]

Nice!

great to see you back at it.

always amazed at the level of detail

[Lofty]

My patience with photo bucket has paid off, instead of being bullied into paying £300 per annum to have them host my pics, it’s now dropped to what it was before at $1.99 per month, so ALL the pics are now back on the thread!!!

[Lofty]

Drivers side sill is all finished so decided to give it some extra internal protection, so new body bungs, some Bilt Hamber Dynax S-50, with the 600mm injection lance. Messy job but peace of mind..

 

 

 

 

 

Now it’s just oozing out of the sill drains, good sign, and once it’s stopped dripping I’ll clean those up with some Autosmart Tardis. Job done on drivers side! 

 

[Lofty]

It’s the silly little things that slow you down and occupy your time on jobs like this.

 

Take for example the track rod end nut. Nothing exceptional but very exposed...

 

 

So what I hear you fellow readers cry! Well, the rest of the exposed fixings under the car have been protected with a dab of cavity wax and a domed nut cover, but the 19mm domed nut covers were not deep enough. Cue spending hours on the internet trying to find some deep domed nut covers, alas the search was futile.

 

I thought sod it I’ll make some. I chopped the domed top off one and powerfiled it flat, used a pair of 19mm nuts locked together on some threaded bar to hold them level and glued two together, fineshed off with a section of adhesive lined heat shrink.

 

 

Modelled here on my finger, not my penis like some unkind group chat member said (#freesecretkev)

 

And fitted it looks ok, will stop the TRE corroding and tidies it up a bit

 

 

Other news - the passenger sill is now flooded with Bilt-Hamber cavity wax so next job is to get the brakes all bled up, and get it back on it’s wheels and rolled out of the garage.

 

Eeek!!

 

 

[Lofty]

The jobs that come under “oooh wouldn’t that be nice” are easier to justify when you’re this balls deep into a project, one of these such things was additional sound proofing in the engine bay, again all hidden.

 

Looking online my budget wasn’t excessive for this but the Silent Coat range seemed to get good reviews. I smashed an order in for their 3mm black aluminium topped stuff which is ok for under bonnet use.

 

So remove the sound proofing factory carpet, for once held on with clips that are both re-usable and also don’t render your digits a blooded mess removing them! Go VAG!

 

 

And removed...

 

 

I was expecting it to be much grubbier under there bearing in mind it’s never been off!!

 

Quick clean with Surfex and a wash down with a solvent soaked rag ensured the Silent Coat pads would stick.

 

 

Pads were easy enough to trim, stuck on, warmed with a hot air gun then rollered down with a hard little roller to ensure adequate adhesion...

 

 

Job done.

 

 

Obviously the Factory carpet sound proofing clips back over the top and the bonnet immediately sounds solid, no hollow ring when you tap it. 

 

Engine cover is next for being poked with the soundproofing stick, just thinking differently for that one...

 

 

 

 

[Lofty]

Slightly monumental moment last night, I got the car back on its wheels for the first time in nearly 2 years, bled the brakes for the first time and moved all the crap from round it.

 

Suffice to say it’s a bit dirty on top!!

 

 

 

 

Engine and gearbox will be going in next then lots of replumbing and trying to remember where all the bolts are etc

[Lofty]

A little sneak peak of a small part of customisation...

 

 

More updates soon

[Dark_Hero]

Nice  engine cover upgrade

[Lofty]

39 minutes ago, Dark_Hero said:

Nice  engine cover upgrade

Well spotted!

[Lofty]

Having been rumbled by Charlie, I can confess weary readers that I’ve been getting distracted by engine covers - yes as in plural!

 

From the outset I have been determined to run an engine cover on both of the G3 Fabias, as in my mind the engine bay looks a mess without them, yes the engine is new and highly detailed underneath but first impressions count as they say.

 

The Fabia vRS geeks on here will instantly spot the difference in engine covers on the various ages of models, the main body of the cover has always been the same but the inserts have changed from ASZ to BLT.

 

Early ASZ used a coloured Skoda badge and silver TDI lettering, later BLT went to a nondescript all black Skoda badge and retained the silver TDI lettering. I wanted neither! I have ended up buying a few used cheap engine covers off early models to get the coloured badge and insert panel... for some reason the later BLT badges have different location pins... most annoying.

 

Keeping up at the back?? Good, then I’ll continue..

 

Splitting the covers apart, removing the often crumbling sound proof foam, clean all with Surfex and scuff the inside up with a scotchbrite pad, why you ask?? Soundproofing time.....

 

 

 

Silent Coat 3mm sound proofing that’s highly adhesive and heat proof. Will it work? Can’t do any harm can it?

 

 

Strip off the existing badges.. Having measured up exactly where the TDI lettering goes..

 

 

Remove all the adhesive with Autosmart Tardis, then rub down with 800 grit wet and dry in the sink with soapy water.

 

Three coats of Halfords Plastic Primer, leave to dry on the bedroom window sill inside in the sun for 24 hours, flat off with 1500 grit wet and dry in the sink, then paint with 3 coats of custom mix Sprint Yellow, repeat drying procedure, flat again with 1500 grit and one more coat of yellow... phew.

 

Leave it 3 days in the sun the it looks like this!!

 

 

 

 

Beautiful finish. Very pleased with the paint.

 

The coloured Skoda badge was polished up and fitted, then I’d got the choice of TDI lettering, all red or black with chrome edges... hmmm...

 

 

 

Decided on the black and chrome as they will contrast better against the yellow. Bit of careful measuring and et voila!!!

 

 

Treated the bare cover with Aerospace 303.

 

 

 

And the finished product...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All in all, dead pleased with how it looks. Bear in mind there will be no other real colour in the bay, eg strut brace is gloss black, slam panel the same, it’ll give it just enough lift.

 

When I mentioned earlier plural engine covers, I’m doing exactly the same for the black G3 Fabia, but painted the insert Candy Apple Red metallic to match the engine bay parts on that one. Pics in that thread soon.

Edited 29 March, 2021 by Lofty

[Yaris]

Stunning mate. Some great ideas in this thread

[Dark_Hero]

Sorry for spoiler. That looks great

Wasn’t tempted by a new style badge?

[Yaris]

2 minutes ago, Dark_Hero said:

 

Wasn’t tempted by a new style badge?

 

Noooo!!   Don't do it

[Lofty]

14 minutes ago, Dark_Hero said:

Sorry for spoiler. That looks great

Wasn’t tempted by a new style badge?

 

Afraid to say I don’t like the new style badges at all, the in period ones for the Mk1 fab in my eyes look ace, the Mint Green picks up well with the brakes and everything. 

[Dark_Hero]

Oh ok. Will tie in nicely with everything else you’ve done.

i guess I’m just used to seeing them aged and looking a little crusty

[Lofty]

Just now, Dark_Hero said:

Oh ok. Will tie in nicely with everything else you’ve done.

i guess I’m just used to seeing them aged and looking a little crusty

 

You’re right, old ones look gash, fade to a blue colour and delaminate and age the car, I fitted new badges (correct early ones) front and rear really early on in the project. The rest of our WhatsApp group chat are all new badge lovers, I like to be different aka old fashioned lol

[bonelorry]

Still Awesome