Nose job

[pmessling]

been busy with the bumper removal yesterday, unfortunately i haven't been able to swap to the new bumper as i don't yet have it back from the body shop, but has i have a long list of things to be done i cracked on with adding the second horn, and replacing the cooling fan resister to an uprated one supplied by jules. Both were easy to do, took around 4 hours to do everything including cleaning out the washer bottle, was some rubbish at the bottem so worth doing, my K&N needs a clean so will order a recharge kit for when i replace the bumpers, and when i add the stainless steel crimped mesh. have already replace the indicator bulbs to the chromed ones. Bumper being picked up monday

Prepped bumper that myself and dad done, £100 for spraying starlight silver and lacquering.

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m26/pmessling/IMG_6659.jpg

before
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m26/pmessling/CIMG1222.jpg

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m26/pmessling/CIMG1225.jpg

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m26/pmessling/CIMG1224.jpg

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m26/pmessling/CIMG1227.jpg

chassis legs looking clean and free from corrosion
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m26/pmessling/CIMG1228.jpg

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m26/pmessling/CIMG1229.jpg

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m26/pmessling/CIMG1230.jpg

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m26/pmessling/CIMG1231.jpg

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m26/pmessling/CIMG1232.jpg

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m26/pmessling/CIMG1234.jpg

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m26/pmessling/CIMG1235.jpg

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m26/pmessling/CIMG1236.jpg

[pmessling]

More progress today, whilst the car is back together so i can use it, the other bumper is now ready and will be collecting it on Monday, been cutting the mesh up today so hopefully can complete the whole nose job on Monday and wash wax etc ready for comb on Saturday. Went and brought some extra leverage cutters so i didn't have to get the noisy grinder out. Had to buy a square metre of the mesh, £100 but should get two sets out so can either sell on or fit to the bumper that i'm going to take off and get sprayed as a spare. The mesh that i'm putting in is like that found on the mk1 zr's as well as zt's, better than the black stuff in the mk2. Also got a recharged cleaning kit for my K&N from halfords as the filter is dirty

Peter

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m26/pmessling/CIMG1237.jpg

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m26/pmessling/CIMG1238.jpg

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m26/pmessling/CIMG1239.jpg

[Jules]

Great Job Peter, so satisfying doing all those fit & forget front end tasks!
Excellent to change that God awful cheap steel mesh for the real McCoy Stainless stuff.

Even if some owners still want to retain the black look mesh for originality purposes, it is still worth upgrading to stainless so it doesn't rust.
Simply paint the stainless black before fitting.

(note to self. Get the Mesh fitted to my own car that Christopher sent me!)

[pmessling]

there are loads of companies about that do different types of mesh, the original mesh is called expanded mesh, and on one of the sites i visited done stainless steel, and even powder coated steel, as well as aluminum so there are manyy choices out there. As well as different wire thicknesses and hole size, the mesh i have is 1.5mm wire and 10mm holes.

[black olive]

nice work and nice to see some pics of WIP.
Isnt the air filter dirty

[pmessling]

air filter sure is dirty, was put in over a year ago, brought a K&N cleaning kit from halfords so will clean when i swap the bumpers over.

[pmessling]

Picked up my bumper having had it painted, whilst its not perfect as its a used bumper and have noticed some little small stone chips that i didn't fill i don't mind as i plan to paint the other bumper that i will be removing.

Have started installing the mesh and will wait till good weather tomorrow to remove the one on my car and to finish the bottom mesh. Over all very pleased so far.

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m26/pmessling/CIMG1240.jpg

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m26/pmessling/CIMG1241.jpg

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m26/pmessling/CIMG1243.jpg

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m26/pmessling/CIMG1245.jpg

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m26/pmessling/CIMG1246.jpg

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m26/pmessling/CIMG1248.jpg

[Jules]

Nice job Peter!
Is that the towing eye blanking plate I sent you?;)

Oh just a small tip for owners doing the resistor upgrade, make sure the black wires are well tied out of the way from rubbing on the Condensor matrix (as they were from the factory!)
What happens over time is vibration (not so much on V6 & V8's of course!)
causes condenser to wear right through the insulation.

Result is loss of AC refrigerant due to pinhole in condenser from current passing through resistor.

[pmessling]

yep that is the blanking plate, Hopefully be all finished tomorrow, reduce the bumper to bonnet gap, then i'll have another bumper to prep and paint.

[Kearton]

More progress today, whilst the car is back together so i can use it, the other bumper is now ready and will be collecting it on Monday, been cutting the mesh up today so hopefully can complete the whole nose job on Monday and wash wax etc ready for comb on Saturday.

(... snip ...)



Hi Pete,
one tip a car repairer gave me was to wait at least 2 weeks after painting before waxing or putting Diamondbrite etc. on a surface. Apparently it allows all the remaining chemicals that need to dissipate to do so and gives a better finish in the longer term.

Regards,
Kearton

[Jules]

I've heard that too, but does that apply to 2 pack paints?

[pmessling]

the body shop told me to return the bumper when on the car so that they can do the final polish on it, so with any luck on the time front tomorrow i can get that done as well, thanks for the tip, but as jules said does that apply too the paint and that it has had a layer of 2 pack lacquer

[pmessling]

Finished off cutting and installing the mesh, cleaned my air filter, notice that it had been rubbing on the wiring loom behind it, looked as if it had only just rubbed through the insulation tape so wound some spiral rap around it to protect it. Also reduced the bonnet to bumper gap, fitted stainless steel bolts both on top and bellow. The hardest part was cutting the squarish holes for the power wash as the other bumper didn't have them.

Original bumper with the cut out
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m26/pmessling/IMG_6674.jpg
new bumper drilling and cutting
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m26/pmessling/IMG_6675.jpg

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m26/pmessling/IMG_6676.jpg

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m26/pmessling/IMG_6677.jpg
finished hole was bigger and a odd shape , the end fit was tight but was good enough

finish bumper
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m26/pmessling/IMG_6678.jpg

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m26/pmessling/IMG_6679.jpg

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m26/pmessling/IMG_6680.jpg

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m26/pmessling/IMG_6682.jpg

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m26/pmessling/IMG_6684.jpg

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m26/pmessling/IMG_6685.jpg

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m26/pmessling/IMG_6686.jpg
although the gap has been reduce the bumper now sits a bit higher than the bonnet so may have to address this again when off.

Peter

[ksilver]

Very nice :drool4:

[Kearton]

the body shop told me to return the bumper when on the car so that they can do the final polish on it, so with any luck on the time front tomorrow i can get that done as well, thanks for the tip, but as jules said does that apply too the paint and that it has had a layer of 2 pack lacquer

I'm no paint expert, but the person who told me was referring to the Starlight Silver (metallic 2-pack) that he'd just put on my car.

Regards,
Kearton

[rogerf]

Good job :) thanks for the pics very interesting.Where did you get the cool MG/Mustang badge?

[majedm75]

Nice job. It makes one like silver colour :o.



But I still prefer blue ;)

[pmessling]

have to take some new pictures in the light once i have given the car a wash and wax for the winter, its something i should have done years ago.

Peter

[NOCTURNAL]

Good job :) thanks for the pics very interesting.Where did you get the cool MG/Mustang badge?


its our club badge over at The Two-Sixties

www.two-sixties.com (http://www.two-sixties.com) pop over and introduce yourself :)
There is a Members shop on the Forum, should you decide to Join :)
We are growing steadily :)

Nick (NOCTURNAL):D

[GMA1976]

Does anyone know where I can get hold of the crimped stainless mesh used on the Mk1 ZT as shown in this thread?

I only need a small amount to replace the mesh on one side of the grill but can't find anything similar on the internet. There are some 316 meshes on ebay but not the same so would have to replace the lot!

Thanks

[pmessling]

best bet is to try a breakers