My "millie" project

[zinc2000]

ARB bushes and drop links done today, hopefully should make thing a bit quieter at the front.

Bushes done without dropping subframe, loosen front bolt, bend bracket up, pull out old bush, push new one back in, bend bracket back, replace bolt, job done. (does help if you have ratchet spanners due to limited space)
Bit of a hassle to line up bracket with bolt hole but big tyre lever sorts it :!:

Only thing to note on drop links is do not allow the bracket that holds the sensor cable to fall the wrong side of the drop link or you will have to remove link and do it again

Top strut mounts next, would have ideally done them at the same time but not had chance to buy coil compressors yet

 

[zinc2000]

Top strut mount/ bearing now in place but quick question guys.

Now its all bolted back together I notice there is a gap between the top of the wheel arch and the rubber part of the top bush, I see the same the other side so assume this is just to allow movement, correct? or have I done something wrong? in which case the other side has been done wrong as well (not by me )

Hope someone is on line before I take the other side apart

 

[zinc2000]

Thanks for your help guys :evil:

Cannot get the other strut off anyway until I buy a bigger spanner....different top nut :?

 

[zinc2000]

"buttercup" now has a years MOT..no advisories yeeaah :grin:

Not bad for a £500 car with over 120,00 on the clock and bought unseen over the 'net....... :grin: :grin: :grin:

Gives me another whole year to improve her not to mention another year to enjoy my driving :grin:

Well pleased

 

[Sparx]

Nice one :thumbs:

 

[zinc2000]

Next modification now in place.

Because as we all know Puma lights are diabolical I have upgraded to blue/white bulbs for both dip and main beam.

Although only 65W these have helped a lot (I can now at least see the badgers/foxes/rabbits before I hit them at 5am on my way to work)

In addition I have also added 2 concealed spotlamps which are active along with main beam, should make night driving a whole lot safer.

Semi concealed

Lighting my way (crap picture angle does not really do them justice but they are 2 X 55w halogen spots)
My excuse for the poor picture?....ground too wet to kneel down to get a better angle

 

[zinc2000]

Hi all,

Just back from a 440 mile round trip to Aviemore in the Highlands (I have a timeshare there so go every year)

Took the "millie" instead of the wifes Avensis, two adults and a lot of luggage meant the rear seat was dropped to allow for it all, by putting the two heavy cases on the dropped seat and all the odds and ends ( Christmas presents, decorations, food etc) meant that the balance of the car was great, stuck to the road like glue, dented the perfomance a bit but not wooried about that too much.

Once at the timeshare "buttercup" coped with 4 adults every day, snow, ice not a problem at all, what a great wee car!!

What was impressive though was despite the extra weight "buttercup" managed a superb 45mpg, ok so I never went over 65mph anywhere but well pleased and these Recaro's are soo comfortable on a long run.

Will post a pic from the snowy north when my son sends it on to me!

Only problem was my daughter wanted a shot behind the wheel so being a good parent I agreed...she broke the seat locking mechanism!!...seat out in a few days I guess

 

[zinc2000]

Eicher front pads now fitted, car now stops when I want it to rather than when it feels like it

Got the pads for just over £10 for the set, have read mixed reviews for them but as I am on a very (and I do mean very) limited budget thought I would give them a shot, seem ok at the moment.

 

[aberdarepuma]

i like the yellow engine cover a matte black intake will look good aginst it

 

[zinc2000]

Finally got the other top mount done on the front drivers side, reason for delay? needed to buy a bigger spanner!!

One side 17mm on top of strut, t'other side 19mm :?

All done now so guess I have to start on the rear now, few small rattles need looking at.

Also dash board light is now telling me a door is open.....checked all doors, boot and bonnet and yet to find cause, I know everything is closed but little orange light is bugging me, any ideas?

 

[Midnight Blue]

Looking good!! k:

 

[zinc2000]

Gave "buttercup" a wash, clean, polish and wax today to try and keep some of the salt and assorted crap that seems to be on our roads at the moment away from her paintwork.

Probably too cold for polishing but seems to look ok, might make her last a bit longer as at the moment she is in constant use while the wife's toyota is "resting", :grin: actually we cannot afford to tax it just yet

 

[zinc2000]

So..."buttercup" is resting and sorned for a while (hopefully a short while)

Things to do...

Electric window switch not working (new one already on its way)
Replace rear brake pipes
Repair rear arches
Treat rust on sill
Clean both sides of car to get rid of salt damage (both sides pitted/marked)
Fix boot lock.....wont open again!!
Replace any damaged suspension bits (thanks to our roads fairly certain at least one broken spring)
Clean and paint underbody

As you will see from the following pics poor girl has suffered a little having had constant use over the past couple of months in snow,frost,ice etc carrying 4 adults, luggage....not what it was bought for!!

Rust, rust, lovely rust!

bit of wear left but may replace anyway, however not bad for over 10,000 miles

Maybe time for a new rear box, might just cheat with a nice trim!

Might get some carbon film to tidy this once the rust is sorted

 

[zinc2000]

First job done :grin:

Boot lock fixed and now opens with the key, never done that since i bought it :grin:

"Buttercup" now up on blocks in garage so I can get underneath at the mucky bits.

 

[PumaJay]

please add - Remove stickers to the list of jobs, there ruining a perfectly nice looking car.

apart from that, good work, i always wanted a millie but there were just abit out of my price range when i bought my second puma about 4 years ago

 

[zinc2000]

:lol: . Stickers will "probably" go as they were mainly covering appalling touch up paint jobs done by previous owners.

Still only seen one other "millie" since buying mine.

BTW just valued it for fun on "we buy any car" £225 !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not selling but was valueing the in-laws Fiesta so did mine for the hell of it.

 

[PumaJay]

thats alright then...

that we buy any car is a load a cack, there valuation is based on them reselling it, through a different company name as well

 

[zinc2000]

Pictures below are specially for PumaJay

Took me nearly 4 hours of peeling, wet/dry sanding, and T-Cutting to get rid of the stickers and correct/repair the appalling touch up job on the right rear quarter....luckily :?: the paint had been applied so thick that I was able to cut it back to a flat surface and still have yellow paint left to T-Cut afterwards....well chuffed with the result, I had intended to put a before pic on as well but accidently deleted the damn thing :roll:

The rear panel below the number plate was very badly scratched but I have managed to cut it gently back as well to a good finish.

Arches have been cleaned and filled, to be honest they were not as bad as I first thought, nearside was mainly surface rust from probably a bad paint job on the repair so fingers crossed should come up ok.

This side was good to start with but took a pic anyway

 

[PumaJay]

much better!!

 

[zinc2000]

What a difference a bit of wet/dry cutting, t-cut and polish can make

New electric window switch also fitted today....hey the window opens :lol: