Cheers for all the pics guys. Some cracking looking cars there!
Progress! *note updates will be copied and pasted round a few different sites so apologies if some of it isnt relevant.
As i said above, the wheels that were on the car when i bought it weren't mine, there were the guy i bought it offs mate, so they had to go back. The hunt for some wheels was on! After much messing around (totally my fault, but this is a learning curve for me ya know!) I settled on a set of Mondy 16s and duly found a set on the XROC site. Popped down and got them from Welling last weekend, got back, lined them up with the car, oh dear! No way were they going on, the tyres were miles too big (see brackets above!!). Besideswhich, even if they had of fitted i think the car is too low for 16s, they would rub. So that as that plan out the window! I thought oh thats alright, ill stick those on my Mk6 and put the alloys from there on the XR, wrong! They wouldn't go over the calipers as they're only 14s. Back to the drawing board! Here they are on the mk6 anyway, looks pretty good no?
Unfortunately, they're not staying though. I cant afford to be buying multiple sets of wheels i dont need, so they're now off the car and on eBay!
Back to the XR. As i mentioned, the rear bumper on the car unoriginal and the wrong colour, so that had to go!
After much hunting around I found and won (i won't disclose the price, lets just say it was low, very low...) on eBay a bumper in the colour i needed. Another road trip, this time to Reading this morning. Back at home and here it is
Bit of a state, but it had been sitting in the guys garden for the last couple of years since he bought it!! He also had a MINT front bumper still in primer and i was SO tempted. Had to remind myself i dont actually need a front bumper!!
After a quick wash
Old bumper off
Shiny new bumper on
Ive tried to catch the difference in the colour of the two, bit difficult to see in pics though
The eagled eyed amoung you would have spotted the wheels in the boot! Picked up a set of RS2000 alloys in pretty remarkable condition (yet another road trip to pick them up!)
Not what i originally wanted, but at least i knew they would fit! Fitted;
And a quick wash (and i do mean quick, it was bloody freezing!)
I dont think it can ever be underestimated the difference a set of half decent looking wheels makes to a car!
From this;
To this!
Yes, i know it looks like an RS2000! But i happen to think thats not actually a bad thing! With the wheels on and it cleaned i actually really like the 'innit' window timts now! The legality of the front windows is somewhat dubious though!
Other news is exhaust related. It was blowing, big time, and needed attention. Took it to my local Kwik Fit (yes, i know, but i know the manager, he used to have a Mk5 XR3i too. Actually took it down there to change the wheels over the first time round and got chatting and he said to pop in any time i needed anything, so i did!) and they replaced one of the exhaust gaskets, spot of welding and jobs a goodun. Sounds muuuuuch better now.
Still to do;
Engine clean
Replace thermostat
Re-rig the cooling fan so that its not constanly on!
Sort out the electrcial issues
Replace starter motor and dash clocks (after sorting electrical issue, as i have a sneaky suspicion these may be linked to it!)
Get a quote for sorting out the passenger side rear arch, gulp!!
Get a new bootlid in the right colour. This actually IS as difficult as it sounds! I did find one on eBay but it was miles away. I was still toying with the idea of getting it, but by the time id emailed the guy and ask him to check the colour and about some other bits it had gone :-(
Possible jobs but not critical
New drivers seat (ripped)
New leather gear gator thing (shagged)
New parcel shelf (mouldy, ewwwwwww!)
Touch up the paintwork a bit (not me, someone who actually knows what they're doing!!)