If you were mad enough to do it again, using the knowledge you gained from doing it first time around, what would you do differently? Also what is the thing you are most proud of that you did in your resto?



If it was me, I would fully seem weld the car and probably fit a full roll cage into the car so the chassis is stiffer. We never thought the car would go this far and almost 3 years later things could do being with being a bit stiffer.

I am also most proud of the colour of the car. Damo and I really hit the mark with the colour in my opinion. I have parked next to other non diamond white cars and still the colour is much brighter than any other white we have ever seen.


So c'mon, what you got?

 

Restoration or Project ??

2 different things there.....

I would start of with a better car in the 1st place

 

 

Either I guess...

 

Hmmmm Im kinda half way through my shell project!


IF I could change anything.. It would have been the car I used, I 'should' have used a bonus without a sunroof! Nothing to major... As the rest of the car, Im happy with due to it all being 'one off'

 

i did a zetec2l transplant on me xr2i..was really fun doing it..then sold it shortly afterwards to get my s1.definately doing a rebuild on the s1 and engine bay resto soon..am just gonna take it slow this time..

 

theres no straight answer to this

i have found that every one you do you think of a better way of doing it next time, or theres something you would change if you did it again

most diy restorations/rebuilds take a long time as they have to be fitted into your life along side everything else and nine times out of ten there will be better products/ equipment available by the time its finished

plan everything as much as possible and use the best bits you can afford is best advice

and any proper restoration/ rebuild is never finished

 

Id have done loads different, I think the only way to go with mine is start it again anyway. Want it right back to bare shell and sort it from there, was a big mistake saying to myself that I would leave the underneath and rear til later, should have got it all sorted when I did the engine bay. Things im most proud of are the few original bits on it, carbon rocker cover and stuff, also chuffed with how it looks as a package.
Saying all that though I still ask myself why I bothered, start to finish buying the car and doing everything to it has cost 18k, thats damn nice evo money and all ive got is a 17 year old car on axle stands

 

Always start with the best you can find

if it's rusty, sandblast it and cut the rust out - never plate over.

Learn how to weld propperly

use genuine parts - 2nd hand will do, wherever possible.

get a profeessional to paint it, DIY is crappo!

 

not spend as much money

 

always starts that way

 

Now i couldnt do that........

I have ALOT more fun building my cars...

My RST,XE nova,3 cossies,the Renault,ive loved them ALL!!!!!

And WILL always love doing them...

Pete..

 

less filler more metal

 

learn to walk away when things ait going well rather than botc something so you feel like you've acomplished someting onthe day /weekend.

it ALWAYS comes back later to haunt you. and also alsways use the best you can afford, itout doubt. and i've only done light modifying, no full on restorations. working on classics you see lots of previous botches.

 

My erst shell has bin gone for 7 weeks now. (consindering the bloke said he'l have it done it 2 to 3 weeks) I wish i could of shopped around a bit more, cause so far my resto is seeming to be goin up in price. Dont get me wrong, my shell is lookin pretty and hes done a pukka job, but its no were near the quote he gave me .

Owell. Ill be getting it back dis weekend so ill post up sum pics 4 every1

 

ive just worked on my beemer through the night to try and get it ready for the painters this morning, then on the way at 5 in the morning she lost all water and overheated on a deserted road cos of a loose pipe, and im just into work, straight from the painters, after 45 quid of taxi,s tbh i never want to see or go near a car again and im selling this fucking one when its finished

best advice- dont rush for deadlines

 

spot on...

 

im not doing anymore after this xr4x4 im building

but with it always do it rite adn proper

dont cut corners

i have done things to miene that i havnt done before so its just building and planning on what to do or get next,

always get the best you can

 

I'm kind of doing it again with my pug at the moment but this time leaving the engine alone. Standard power is deffo the way to go, no worries about maintenance, things going wrong and it keeps the cost way way down!

This allows me to spend money on the more important things on the car such as brakes and suspension which I didn't really touch on the RST.

Saying that, I am very proud of the overall look I achieved with my RST. Bags of power but nice subtle style changes. And even under the bonnet I think it still looked relatively standard considering it had over 300bhp which is something I always wanted to keep.... the CVH look lol.

Next project...... finish my kitchen tiles

 

Id make sure it didnt get stolen before I finished it