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

[alex_e3]

On 6/15/2018 at 22:26, Lofty said:

 

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

 

I'll have you know I am not Matthew!!! 

[Lofty]

Big development this week.....

 

 

 

 

This arrived....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

which is one of these....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That is all...

 

 

 

Genuine Porsche 991 oil filler cap, looks a bit better than the boring black plastic one. Ok not big news but better than none!!

Edited 29 March, 2021 by Lofty

[Dark_Hero]

They do finish the engine quite nicely. Have you got the coolant cap too?

Edited 28 June, 2018 by Dark_Hero

[Lofty]

24 minutes ago, Dark_Hero said:

They do finish the engine quite nicely. Have you got the coolant cap too?

 

I have, in talks with the supplier over that one as I’m not happy with the fitment of it, might have to swap it for another one

[Dark_Hero]

Ah that’s a shame. Hope you get it sorted

[Lofty]

And STILL the work trickles along. I'm having some custom work done at the moment - i'll keep my powder dry until I collect it on Friday, but in the meantime some deep cleaning in the bowels of the engine bay continues.

 

The plastic scuttle underneath the front wipers was grubby, so I removed that, to allow access to the "water box" as they term it. Removed the wiper motor and then had reasonably good access to the compacted muck that was in there. 

 

Not a pretty sight.

 

 

 

 

Used the vacuum cleaner to suck out most of the debris and detritus, then dived in with the Bilt Hamber Surfex, some detailing brushes and some microfiber cloths. Soon got it looking much better.

 

 

 

 

Did the right hand side too. Also cleaned the lowest part of the screen and rubber up using a razor blade, some strong glass cleaner and fine wire wool.

 

The washer T-Piece broke as they go fragile after all these years so I've got a new one on order (only pennies)

 

Next stage is deep cleaning of the sprint yellow paintwork on the inner wings, good coat of polish afterwards.

 

More soon

 

 

Matt

Edited 29 March, 2021 by Lofty

[Lofty]

Hello weary readers!

 

I alluded in my last post to having some custom work done for me, and it’s a leap of faith and trust to find someone with the same  ethos as yourself who you can actually entrust work to. Hand on heart I can safely say I’ve found someone with the same level of attention to detail as me.

 

I had been looking into Hydro Dipping as a way of adding a unique twist to certain engine bay parts, and chanced across Bold Hydrographics in Alcester, Warwickshire. James - the owner and worker took time out of his day to spend showing me the processes involved and showing me the many different results I could expect.

 

The piece I wanted doing was the windscreen scuttle panel, so I bit the bullet and ordered a brand new one from TPS. Look on eBay at used ones ranging from £25 to £50 and then marvel at the price of a brand fire new one at £12.68 plus vat lol.

 

 

 

 

You’ll see that it’s the same panel for RHD and LHD models with blanking pieces bonded into the redundant holes, I explained to James that I wanted these to not show so we agreed that he would plastic filler over them, sand and plastic prime, sand then 2k primer, sand and black satin paint BEFORE even thinking of carbon dipping.

 

Plastic filler stage

 

 

 

Plastic Primer stage 

 

 

 

then 2k primed and flatted down..

 

You can see by this stage the panel is smooth and the texture has been very much reduced.

 

Satin black painted...

 

 

 

 

Only then was it ready for carbon dipping.

 

Myself and James had settled on a “stealth carbon” finish, as it’s very very close to the real deal...

 

This is after dipping...

 

 

 

 

Now the panel needed to dry for 24 hours so we had chance to discuss the lacquered finish.

 

We agreed on a high gloss lacquer with a slight tint in it, this would have the effect of enhancing the subtle carbon, as you’ll see on the below pics..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bear in mind this finish is straight “out of the gun” - it’s not been wet sanded and polished yet. 

 

I’m so pleased with how it’s come out, cannot fault the product and can not fault how he runs his business!!!

 

Needless to say I’m looking forward to picking it up next week.

 

In the meantime I’ve been beavering away on the car, I’ve stripped and painted the wiper motor and I’ve also stripped and painted the wiper arms hi gloss black so that it all ties in together!

 

 

 

 

 

 

More soon when it’s all fitted back together.

 

 

 

 

Edited 29 March, 2021 by Lofty

[pip_vrs]

Looks awesome that mate. 

[Dark_Hero]

Exciting stuff  that looks amazing

[krissyneillie1]

Looks brilliant, really love that wiper panel 

[Lofty]

Had the last of the pics through from Bold Hydrographics this evening, should be going to collect it tomorrow. It’s been flatted and polished, I’ll just have to fit it then give it a coat of wax when the car gets detailed to death!!!!

 

more gratuitous pics 

 

 

 

 

 

Downside to all this is what to choose to do next. It’s quite addictive!

 

More soon!

 

 

 

 

Edited 29 March, 2021 by Lofty

[Dark_Hero]

Ooooh slippery slope.

mirror bases, air vent surrounds

[Lofty]

Scuttle is back, and fitted to the car very late last night. Excuse the rushed pics, I’ll get better ones at the weekend 

 

 

 

 

 

 

fitted the high gloss black painted wiper arms as well. 

 

Next little job to do is this...

 

 

 

 

Some nice subtle Teflon lined -6 fuel hose to feed round the engine bay. I’ll get more pics when it’s in situ. 

 

 

Edited 29 March, 2021 by Lofty

[Dark_Hero]

Nice. Does that have the metal wire re-inforcement?

 

that scuttle panel looks amazing

Edited 19 July, 2018 by Dark_Hero

[Lofty]

On ‎19‎/‎07‎/‎2018 at 12:41, Dark_Hero said:

Nice. Does that have the metal wire re-inforcement?

 

Yes Charlie it does. I can confirm this as a piece speared my finger whilst looking at it the other evening.. LOL

 

On other exciting updates, I've purchased a pair of door mirrors... Watch this space.

 

 

[Dark_Hero]

Yeah they can be a pain. Was quite difficult to cut and clamp so check that they seal properly

 

[Lofty]

Had a few hours in the garage tonight, so cleared all the boot out, fitted the 17” Pro race 3 in the spare wheel well, cleaned all the light surrounds and then fitted the freshly tinted rear lights. These have been done with the same film I did the other G3 Fabia with.

 

 

 

 

 

In preparation for the black aeroquip fuel hoses I’ve sourced a stealth Bosch fuel filter....

 

 

 

 

More soon.

 

 

Edited 29 March, 2021 by Lofty

[Dark_Hero]

Nice find

do you have a link to the tinting film you used?

Edited 25 July, 2018 by Dark_Hero

[Lofty]

I don’t Charlie, bought it well over 12m ago off eBay, wasn’t mega expensive or anything just a very light smoke light tint film.

[Lofty]

Slow progress at the moment, but I’ve a week off work in September so the plan is to get the engine and gearbox back in, all the plumbing done and then start mocking up the front end for custom pipes/crashbar etc.

 

In readiness I’ve been deep cleaning the inner wings and bulkhead as they have two years worth of dust and muck over them.

 

Drivers side...

 

 

 

Quite pleased how it’s come up, I won’t bore you with pics of the other side as it’s similar lol.

 

Hopefully more pics when the motor is back in!! 

 

Ive got some things at the Hydrographic Mans place but he’s away on holiday so I’ll hopefully have those back in a few weeks, I did stress there was no rush.

 

Matt

 

 

Edited 29 March, 2021 by Lofty

[Dark_Hero]

Nice

i wanted to give my engine bay a really good clean like that, but had a few time constraints :(

[Lofty]

Yet another sneak peak....

 

 

 

More soon...

Edited 29 March, 2021 by Lofty

[Dark_Hero]

Interesting

they will look great

[wolfsburger]

Love your updates, your attention to detail does make me envious though, but also spurs me on to keep plugging away at mine. 

[Lofty]

More beautifully finished parts from my Carbon man.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’ll be collecting them on Friday and will hopefully get the mirrors built back up over the next week or so.

 

Other news... the engine and gearbox are going back into the car finally next week, I’ve a week off work to get loads done on the car and round the house.

 

 

Edited 29 March, 2021 by Lofty