Some progress has been made on the exhaust, or at least the downpipe.

 

A family friend was visited to weld the 3” to 2.5” reducer to the downpipe and then the 2.5” V-Band flange to that. All done with proper stainless welding wire etc.

 

V-Band flange in situ..

 

 

 

 

 

Ignore the dusting of acid etch, it’ll all be bead blasted off before the whole downpipe gets ceramic coated black by Camcoat in Warrington.

 

2.5” bore Milltek centre section will be next up, it’ll need cutting and the corresponding V-Band flange welding onto it before I progress to the rear section and custom back box and tailpipe 

Edited 29 March, 20215 yr by Lofty

Fitted the lower boost hard pipe last night after painting it crackle black in the week. Again used Murray Constant Tension Clamps throughout.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We also test fitted the 3” downpipe, you’ll notice a complete lack of support bracket underneath, we cut this off as it was badly welded on, and pulled the line of the exhaust heavily to the one side of the tunnel. This way I have more flexibility to line the centre section up properly and when the back box is made, I’ll get a correctly aligned support bracket made for the front. 

 

I’m also going to get some sort of heat protectant on the power steering pipes to try and protect them from the radiant heat of the downpipe, even despite it being ceramic coated in due course.

 

This morning saw me inside the loft looking for the new wheel arch liners that I stashed away months ago...

 

Fitted these, along with the mud flap, looking much more finished now!

 

 

 

 

Waiting now for some vacuum pipe so I can finish the vac box to turbo actuator line then it’s finish the exhaust job.

 

more soon 👍

Edited 29 March, 20215 yr by Lofty

Love the attention to detail on this project and just how clean everything is! 

What a thread, amazing job. What on earth will you do when its finished?? 

5 hours ago, VRS_White_Hatch said:

What a thread, amazing job. What on earth will you do when its finished?? 

I have a urge to do a ground up restomod build on a Fabia Practik Van that i would have to source from mainland Europe. Something along those lines, really rare bit of kit

Weather has been beautiful this weekend so I’ve been out lots with the family, managed to get an afternoon on the Black vRS today and given it a thorough clean and polish, but I have just fitted the tow strap to the yellow one. I have fitted a Skoda green one but don’t worry, it’ll all be hidden behind the fog light surround when the bumper is on..

 

 

 

Edited 29 March, 20215 yr by Lofty

Stunned by what i read, my respect to you for the sheer quality of your work.

Had another hour outside tonight, removed the rear exhaust heat shield off the car, had to destroy the 3 x spring clips but I have a supply of new ones. 

 

The plan is to remove the rear most most edge of it, as the exhaust path will lead through the rear panel a little bit, but to retain the majority of the heat shield for an OEM look. 

 

You can see the bit I lopped off... 

 

 

 

 

I could have left it with a bare cut edge but it would’ve been razor sharp and look pretty rough so I made a 5mm deep edge setting tool and slowly bent a return edge on it, this also gives it a bit more rigidity.

 

 

 

 

 

Then I replaced the spring clips..

 

 

 

Next job is to get the rear bumper off and start more cutting!

Edited 29 March, 20215 yr by Lofty

Weather is crap, other half is looking at holidays for next year already so I went and hid in the garage... cheapest option!

 

I did the cutout on the rear bumper, the aim here is to give the downswept tailpipe a clearer path without exiting too low in the cut out. Also it’s meant to be discreet enough not to be seen from above.

 

You’ll have to excuse the state of the paint, it’s going into the paint shop for a complete prep and paint once the exhaust is done.

 

 

 

and from above, totally unseen 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And a mock up with the 3” tail pipe

 

 

more soon..

Edited 29 March, 20215 yr by Lofty

get a twin pipe out the back Milltek style, round one doesn't look quite right 😎

Agreed a twin downward 'diesel style' pipe would be lovely here.

Or an OEM style tip

Wot no cherry bomb? 

Down swept single round tailpipe is 100% staying 😊, and further progress has been made on modifying the single skin (and non structural) rear panel in order to make room for it. 

 

No pics of this till i have finished painting it, but rest assured it was very much a measure 5 times, draw a CAD template (cardboard aided design) and cut once job.

 

Whilst ive been doing that I took the chance to refresh the rear bumper brackets, as they looked shabby..

 

Before..

 

 

 

 

 

 

and after..

 

 

and fitted back onto the car..

 

 

 

I have also been doing some prep on the rear bumper before it goes for paint, I want the inside of the bumper prepped and painted black, something I’ll do myself before the bodyshop paint the outside..

Edited 29 March, 20215 yr by Lofty

Some pics of the completed rear panel now it’s painted.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bumper work is still progressing, I’m trying to get as much done myself to reduce the bodyshop bill, I’ll get some pics up of that when I’ve done some more.

Edited 29 March, 20215 yr by Lofty

My seemingly weekly trip to TPS occurs on Saturday mornings and this week saw the side repeaters arrive- they’d been on order for a few weeks, along with some new amber 501 capless bulbs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

And clipped into place. Much nicer. The old ones looked faded and chipped 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Work is now progressing on the rear bumper, now these had been trimmed to fit mudflaps on the rear so that needed tidying up with the carbon reinforced fibrefill and some fine flexibile filler. Duly covered in a couple of coats of Upol plastic primer and Wurth stone chip. The yellow body colour will be painted into this area to blend seamlessly with the outer finish.

 

 

 

 

 

more soon

Edited 29 March, 20215 yr by Lofty

Tonight’s little tinkering saw the tailpipe design finalised, along with the 3” V-Band clamp that will link it, via a 50mm long section, to the back box. 

 

I have designed it so the actual tailpipe can be easily unbolted for cleaning and polishing, plus I can always make a number of different tailpipes should I wish in the future. 

 

Tail and link piece seen here. Don’t worry about the masking tape, that’s just to hold stuff in place so I can explain to the welder what has to go where..

 

 

 

 

 

V-Band clamp fitted (3”)

 

 

 

 

And down the pipe!!

 

 

 

Its all going off for welding this week, then can be cleaned and finished in readiness for the rear box to be made.

Edited 29 March, 20215 yr by Lofty

Tailpipe is done. 

 

Masked off the area I wanted satin black, then scuffed the stainless, acid etch then VHT satin exhaust paint. The reason for this is I’m having the whole exhaust ceramic coated in gloss black so I only want the tailpipe tip being visible to a quick glance.

 

I gave the remaining tip a rub with 1500 grit then a light machine polish with Peek metal polish. You will see I’ve stopped someway short of mirror finish as I want a slightly brushed finish on it.

 

 

 

And a close up of the finish..

 

 

 

I now have the milltek centre and rear section I’m going to measure up and start cutting to fit V-Band clamps to soon. 

 

 

Edited 29 March, 20215 yr by Lofty

Both drivers side door mouldings now on.. dropped a slight bo11ock when I had the 4 x new mouldings done originally and didn’t clock there were two passenger rear ones... expensive mistake!

 

 

 

 

 

check out the mad difference in how the yellow looks in different lights!!!

 

 

 

 

 

Further works were done on the exhaust the weekend, 2 hours were spent with the brass knotted wheel in the grinder cleaning up the milltek centre section, and the over axle piece, and tonight I’ll cut it to fit the downpipe and get it ready for the v band to be welded on

Edited 29 March, 20215 yr by Lofty

35 minutes ago, Lofty said:

Both drivers side door mouldings now on.. dropped a slight bo11ock when I had the 4 x new mouldings done originally and didn’t clock there were two passenger rear ones... expensive mistake!

 

 

check out the mad difference in how the yellow looks in different lights!!!

 

 

 

Further works were done on the exhaust the weekend, 2 hours were spent with the brass knotted wheel in the grinder cleaning up the milltek centre section, and the over axle piece, and tonight I’ll cut it to fit the downpipe and get it ready for the v band to be welded on

Are you sure it's sprint yellow, looks very different in those pics as you say.

2 hours ago, kentdale said:

Are you sure it's sprint yellow, looks very different in those pics as you say.

I’m 100% certain it is, it’s just down to the lighting in the garage... first pic was with the flash as well

Some more exhaust progress. I carefully measured the distance between the middle exhaust hanger and the lip of the downpipe flange, then marked the milltek with a sharpie. I had to then subtract the depth of the flange that had got to be welded on, and then cut the pipe with a 1mm slitting disc in the grinder.

 

Cleaned the edge up with the powerfile and dropped it off to my welder last night. 8am this morning I’d got a txt to say it was done.

 

Fits absolutely perfectly, hanger is in the right place and the exhaust is bang in the middle of the tunnel. Excuse the finish of the pipe, it’ll be glossblack ceramic soon.

 

Note the milltek part number tab still on it.

 

 

 

And a pic to show you how central the hanger is. Again excuse the dust on the new rubber picked out by the flash..

 

 

 

next job is to offer up the short length of link pipe from this centre section to the back box, this was extracted from the milltek rear silencer to give the longest length possible. I need to see if there is enough room over the top of the rear beam to get another v band clamp. I suspect there is insufficient room so will have to use the existing slip joint and conventional exhaust clamp. I may be pleasantly surprised though??

 

More soon

Edited 29 March, 20215 yr by Lofty

I’ve been progressing on the car the last few weeks, we are in the process of buying a new house so there have been understandably other distractions, the good long term news is a much bigger garage... 

 

The car has been manhandled out of the garage, turned round and pushed in backwards in order that I could perform the wet sand paint restoration on the passenger side, fit the carbon dipped side mouldings and also get the passenger side wheels re-powdercoated in the light gunmetal.

 

All these jobs are done, still waiting on the rear bumper from the painters then that can go on.

 

I did take a picture of the boot lid clean up, pleased with the condition of the metalwork under the number plate lights, these areas are quite prone for going scabby...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next job is rear bumper fit, finish the front headlight fitting and then think about going for the first turn of the key. Need to speak nicely to John (aka Faboka) about a base low boost map for the big nozzles, in order that I can get it fired up without issues.

Edited 29 March, 20215 yr by Lofty

I reckon you should completely paint/powder your rear pressed plate yellow (same paint code as car)

and your front pressed plate completely white.

For show use.

Would look lovely.

Edited 3 October, 20196 yr by Brogeur

10 minutes ago, Brogeur said:

I reckon you should completely paint/powder your rear pressed plate yellow (same paint code as car)

and your front pressed plate completely white.

For show use.

Would look lovely.

I’ve been trying to find some original (In period) dealer showroom plates for shows, black with silver Fabia vRS lettering. As dealers back in the day we had them, same as what’s featured in the brochures, but alas I’ve had no luck yet😔