Hi all,

welcome to my project thread. The following things will be pasted from a different forum so it might not make complete sense but you get the idea!

Hi all!

Welcome to my project! Had a MK4 1.25 before



Had a play with photoshop:

Before:


After:


Planned on turning the MK4 into a ZSR but decided against it and just enjoyed the car for what it was.

Shiny!


NOH had served me well for 4 years so I decided it was time to move on.

I purchased an Imperial Blue MK5 ZS!

Plans:

Engine:

Service – Done!
Clean up engine bay – Pending
Cambelt change – Pending

Body & Aesthetic

Front and Rear DMBs - Done!
Refurbish Window Bolt caps - Pending
Puma Wiper Arms - Done!
Paint Drums and Callipers - Pending
Climair Wind Deflectors - Done!
Euro number plate - Pending

Chassis

Gmaxx -40mm Lowering Springs - Done!
Ford Locking Wheel Nuts – Done!
12.5mm Axle Spacers – Done!
Polybush Rear Beam - Done!

Interior

Ford Logo Mats - Done!
Restore/Spray Steering Wheel - Done!
Ritchbrook Gearknob - Done!
Ritchbrook Tax Disc Holder - Done!
CD Player - Done!

Misc

Philips X-treme Vision Headlight Bulbs - Done!
Polish Exhaust – Done!

 

A few pictures of the ZS. Sorry I haven't had chance to clean it yet! Had it for a couple of weeks and loving every minute of it!

 

First up, I decided I wanted to change the CD player. It wasn't to my liking and was too silver. Can you tell I'm picky? :P

Before:


After:


Black and blue! Goes well with the car.

 

Next up, I decided to get a different tax disc holder. The autoglass one was okay, but that was all.

Picked up a Richbrook Ford Tax Disc Holder.

Before:


After:


This one is a twist off version, not the screw on one. The sticky pads were a nightmare to get the backing off but I got there in the end.

 

Next step was to change the gear knob. I was thinking of getting a puma gear knob but everyone's done it. I decided to go again for a leather gear knob.

Before:


After:


Love the feel of it! Compliments the short shift gearbox very nicely.

 

I found out that one of my front grille clips had broken off so I took the grille out to repair it.

Thought I might as well add a "S" badge to the grille whilst it's out and also a DMB badge to the front

Before:


During:


After:

 

Now fitted the Climairs

Before:


After:

 

Just fitted some Puma wiper arms. Looks much better.

Before:


During (Puma arm on your left) :


After:

 

had time to wash the car today.









C+C Welcome!

 

I refurbished my steering wheel yesterday.

Before: Not quite as worn as some of the steering wheels that I have seen but enough for it to let the interior down


Close up:


During: My mascot who kept me going


After:


Turned out darker than I expected it but at least it's not bright blue like some of the others, I think they look very out of place!

C+C Welcome.

 

Had some decent weather yesterday so I thought I would give my exhaust a going over.

Before:

I don't think it has ever been cleaned, the carbon black crap was solid!


During:

So the work started, used some alloy wheel cleaner to soak to try and loosen up the black stuff.


After scrubbing with brushes and wirewool, I decided I had wasted enough time and I broke out my Dremel


It made quick work of the black build up.

Next was to start polishing. I didn't have any metal polish so I used some AG SRP instead..


It will do until I get some proper stuff!

After:



A big improvement over what I started off with. There are some parts here and there where I need to go over it again but that will do for now

And suggestions as to what I can use for maintaining and polishing the exhaust?

 

My panel filter arrived this morning.



Quick shot of some beading this evening.



I'm getting sick of my plastics looking faded and polish marks showing when the gel finish comes off them.. Thinking I might get them painted!?

 

Not a lot going on project wise, just enjoying the car!

A couple of weekends a go, I decided to invest in some wax!

Used some of this..



End result was this:







I hate my plastics! I used back to black, vinyl care, even bloody tyre shine lol. If the weather is decent I might try the hairdryer method. I will have to take the side strips off at some point any way to realign them as they have been taken off in the past and not put on right.

The wax was easier to use than I thought, I had read online that it was hard to use. I think the experience that I have had using AG SRP contributed to the ease of use.

Probably won't be anything happening until next year - but watch this space, some decent and much needed changes might occur.

 

Did a small mod at the weekend.. I was quite bored!

Before


During


After

 

That's it for now folks!

C+C welcome.

 

smart mods there, your first fiesta looked clean

 

nice tidy ZS and best thing to do with these cars is keep the mods simple as it will hold a good value as way too many mod these up over the top, best colour too, I would have got the grill badge in blue however as red does not go

 

Thanks! Yup my mk4 got regularly treated to a wash and escaped any mods bar a boot mounted cd player, ford logo mats, removed side strips etc. We still have it in the family

 

I 100% agree with you, it's very easy to ruin a cars looks with a bad mod! I'm thinking of adding a cat back and added some eibach springs at a later date and I'll be leaving it alone after that. Much rather stick to OEM mods

I thought that about the badge too, I had a blue S as well and fitted them both - neither grew on me so I removed them.

 

Try auto glym vinyl care for the black bits, it's beasty!!

In the interest of oem mods, I think st170 centre caps look very smart on these, de-tango'ing the headlights and remove the side strips all together

 

Yeah I have some but I cba putting it on after every wash :P I might get them painted instead! Although, I have a couple of cans of plastidip I've been meaning to use but the weather is pants!

The ST170 caps go on the phase 1 wheels, mine are phase 2! It's a good mod but they tend to go missing as they're easy to nick

I like the tango and the side strips - breaks everything up IMO. I've seen it done looks good but I'd hate to park and see a nice dent or scratch haha

 

do like a nice blue zs good start keep us updated

 

I do like that a lot .. mainly because it looks like mine haha... im getting a slatted grill soon too, like on the 1.25's

Amber indicators look muchhhh better than my clear ones!! .. leave the side strips on mate, looks much nicer and Original..

How did you refurbish your steering wheel / what products did you use ?? ..mines worse than yours was and it needs sorting lol..

 

Oh right, didn't pick up on the difference with the wheels, and know what you mean with the dents!

Love the oem styling, keep it up

 

Very nice, but what happend to the poor little mk4

 

I think it was something like this that I used.

Haha I hate dents, people can be so inconsiderate sometimes! Any more ideas on the OEM side?

Don't worry, it's been kept in the family! My mum now owns it, it hardly gets driven now though

 

A small update but an update nonetheless. LED lights replaced my yellow bulbs in the boot and number plate lights.

Great mod IMO and it only takes a few minutes!

Pictures:

LED on the left and standard one on the right:


Both replaced:


Boot light:


in the dark:


Another small mod done today - more LEDs involved.

You can't tell much from the photos the differences because of the camera autofocus but here they are anyway.

Standard reverse bulb replaced with LED one.

Inside before and after:




Outside before and after:




Fitted an LED interior light this evening.

Standard light


LED light:


Bulb Comparison:

 

Cool car.It shines well with that wax.

 

Cool little car

I had a mk4 1.25 as my first car, loved it!